Calla
by C.C. Capitols
Summary: After the rebellion in the districts, Katniss and Peeta had two kids. Calla and Phylum. Yet something strange is going on. They thought the Capitol's rule was over. But they thought wrong... Mom handed me a gun and ordered, "Here you go, Calla. Protect your brother. And promise me one thing." I swallowed, promises can be hard to keep. "Sure, what is it?" "Come out of here alive."
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

I feel like I'm being watched.

I feel like I'm not safe anymore.

Mom says we are safe.

But I don't know…

We are never safe, as far as I can tell.

Dad has told me and Phylum about the districts.

He told us about the Hunger Games.

Its meaning.

The Capitol and its harsh rule to the districts.

The rebellion.

How my mom helped end the Capitol and its rule.

He told us of their two Hunger Games together.

The people they lost.

The people alive and well because of Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire.

She was the mockingjay, after all.

Peeta was the boy with the bread.

They both told me and my brother countless stories of them two.

Their hardships.

Their ups and downs and the moment when it was all okay.

The best moments, they say, is seeing my brother and I.

I believe them, they love each other.

They have been through so much and they deserve it.

I can see the meadow now.

Where Katniss says that her and Gale used to go through the electric fence and hunt for their families.

Now, my mom hunts, showing me and Phylum.

My dad cooks and tidies up the house.

He teases Katniss that he's the maid and she's the gamer.

They purely love each other.

The meadow was where they buried the people.

Me and Phylum used to play there.

Now, it haunts me whenever I walk by it.

It does the same to my mom.

I feel like I'm being watched.

Right now.

I can see a branch moving strangely inhuman…

It's just a bobcat.

I'm very paranoid, I suppose I get it from my mom.

But…I know that I'm being watched.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This story is told through the eyes of Calla, the daughter of Katniss. So keep it in mind, I am not going to put for every chapter the Point of View, it'll just be Calla's.**

**I don't own Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay. Bear that in mind. And this is after Mockingjay, in case you haven't noticed.**

**Review, follow, favorite, and enjoy. I'll see how this one goes.**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

My bare feet made impact with the cold, wooden floor.

"Calla?" Phylum whispered from across the room, staring up at me with grey eyes. "Where are you going?" He looked like dad, except he had grey eyes like mom, other than that, completely like dad.

My feet moved swiftly to him, my hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. "Be quiet." I hissed, looking over my shoulder at the door to make sure I didn't wake up my parents. "I'm going hunting."

Phylum rolled his eyes in a big circle, "Course you are. Wake me up when you bring something back." He said as he laid back down on the bed.

"Lazy." I jeered quietly, changing my pants and shirt out of my bed clothes. I put into my hunting jacket my mom handed down to me and put on socks. Slinking through the house, so as to not make a noise, I grabbed my boots in one hand and my bow and quiver full of arrows in the other.

Once outside, I slid into my boots and raced from the sleeping house, shouldering my hunting weapons. I ran through the town, still under construction after years after the rebellion. The bakery was open, after the bombing of District Twelve.

The Meadow was clear of the electric fence my mom spoke of, and my boots thudded softly against the wet ground from the rain last night. It will be obvious that I went hunting today. The water on the grass was clumped together in big drops, threatening to fall off. They stuck on the sides of my boots and pants, getting them wet.

The Meadow was turning into a dark green, showing signs that winter was near. My feet made impact on the forest floor once I crossed over. The brown trunks will conceal me from prying and unwanted eyes. Hopefully my mom. She does not approve of me hunting, and forbids me to not hunt.

I don't listen to her. The woods are safe now. The most dangerous thing that can happen to me is that a bear or wild cat or dog will attack me. But I'm not afraid, I'll just climb a tree and kill it. I'm bound to get a lot for a good hide and meat.

I came closer to the hills, climbing steadily up, to the lake. There, I'm bound to get a good picking. I unshouldered my bow and placed an arrow on the string, moving forward. I had a feeling that I forgot something. I just shook that thought off and kept going.

A rabbit ran across my path suddenly. I took an aim at it and hit it. I'm not as good as my mom, and she long ago gave up on teaching me. She's very depressed most of the time, but she can still take care of the house and us.

I picked it up by the leg and remembered what I forgot. I forgot my hunting bag. I cursed, sure that my mom will be horrified by my language, but now was not the time to care. I can't go back home for the fear of her seeing me leave, so I keep going, looking for a good place to hide the rabbit.

I see a tree, one good to hide the prey in. It's better than burying it, the predators can smell it that way. I trot over to it and place my feet and hands carefully on the trunk, pulling myself up. I slung the dead rabbit carefully over my shoulder, sure to get blood all over it. But that's okay, I don't mind.

All animals bleed and it's normal. I don't have any rope to tie it up on a branch so I just sling it over one as high as I can go and climb back down, jumping the last five feet once I'm close enough to the ground.

I go back to walking to the lake. I reach it about twenty or so minutes later, the sun inching its way up the pale sky. I hunt through the water for small fish and katniss roots. I pick a bunch of other plants I know, making sure that they are what they are and then head on my way, back to home.

I reach the tree and retrieve my rabbit, still in one piece, I'm glad. I step cautiously out of the tree line, checking both ways for any early risers and run across, quick as I can.

My feet make short, quiet pads on the streets as I run. I reach the house and stop, catching my breath and then open the door quietly, to face my mom.

"And where were you?" She asked me, her grey eyes cold and undeceiving. There was no way I could talk myself out of this one.

"Uh…" I looked over to my guilt. "Hunting." I pick up the rabbit by a leg to show her. And the roots and fish, carefully wrapped in leaves. I distribute it all like a peace offering.

She takes it from me, studying me hard and sighs. "Calla. Don't go off by yourself. It's dangerous."

"I know, but, we were out of fresh meat. So I thought to go and get some." I explained like an unspanked child.

She sighs once more and goes to the kitchen, cooking the fish and rabbit. Chopping the roots for a mash of a sort. I sigh too, glad to have escaped her horrible wrath and take off my shoes, going upstairs to my room.

Phylum rolled over to face me as I took off my jacket and placed it on the back of a chair. "You got away with it?" he asked me incredulously.

"Yeah. She's making food. Get up, lazy bum." I tease and ruffle his hair to annoy him.

He swats me away and glares, rolling back to the wall and back to sleep. I chuckle and go back downstairs to help my mom with breakfast.

I helped her with the food, and she called my dad and brother to breakfast. They came down speedily, noses in the air like wolves after a scent. "Hungry?" I ask with a grin.

"Course." Peeta says, pulling a curl from my dark head. He walks over to my mom and hugs her middle. "How are you dear?" he asks her in a Capitol accent.

"Quite well. Been better. And you?" she asks nonchalantly.

"I'm okay. Those dreams kept me up again." He says as he plunked himself into a chair. Of course they did, I heard him whimper again this night. Even though Phylum looked like he was sleeping in his bed, his breathing was ragged.

Katniss sighed, and sat down at the table too. Me and Phylum joined them and we all helped ourselves without any more talk about dreams and not sleeping. I would never tell my parents, but I knew about the Meadow being a grave after the rebellion. I get nightmares about the dead people coming after me. They blamed me for walking over them. I screamed and tried to run, but they were all there. Every time I turned around, their white pastel faces in front of me. Their scars red and bloody, as if their real.

I wake up in a fitful shuddering. Phylum then was still sleeping, after dad whimpered. I stayed awake for hours, watching the sun creep up as I lay in bed. That was when I decided to hunt. To get my mind off the nightmare. It felt so real, the dream. I swear I could feel the dead people's breath on my heels as I tried to flee.

I realized that I was not eating, just pushing my food around my plate. "Calla? Are you alright?" Mom asks, watching me carefully under her watchful grey eyes.

I had an itching feeling that I was being watched from behind, like in my nightmare. "Yeah." I muttered and looked around myself for anyone looking through the windows, but there was no one there. "I'm okay. I'm not hungry. Phylum, you can have my food." I set the plate closer to him and race up the stairs.

My room feels claustrophobic, too small for me. I open the window, breathing hard to get the feeling of confinement out of the room. A few minutes passed when I was able to relax and went to lay down on the bed.

I didn't even notice that I fell asleep when my mind just turned off like a light switch. Drifting into a million of snowflakes that I love to catch in my mouth when it's winter. Phylum usually makes fun of me and my irregular behavior, but I caught him doing it a couple of times. I so love to tease him.

I felt unaware of my thoughts, but I was able to conclude that I was dreaming. In front of me, was the Meadow in the night. For a second I braced myself for the dead people, but none came. I did not allow myself to relax though, I had the feeling that I was being watched. "Hello?" I asked the strange mist that crept up from the woods. "Anyone there?" My voice sounded that of a small child. Yound, tiny, and afraid of the dark.

I cleared my throat, shifting my feet warily. My eyes never stood still, they kept moving, kept looking around myself, in case of a threat. Many moments passed and nobody came out. But I knew someone was out there. I can't put a finger on it, but it's like their everywhere. Their eyes are watching me from everywhere.

Behind the trees in the woods. Behind the houses back in the district. Beneath the ground under my feet. In the sky, invisible somehow. I was being watched from invisible eyes. Millions. Like the world it watching me from an invisible camera that I cannot see. Or am just very blind from it.

Gunshots came from the district as if planned, how I know, I don't know. Bombs fell on the district, raining and whistling down to my home. Hovercrafts flew overhead, people jumped out of them, on strings and clips and harnesses. The sound of cars drove by like racing deer. Fast like the speed of light.

I closed my eyes, but I could still see the horror before me. There was screaming and wailing al throughout the district. People fled their homes, holding hands and cried out as bombs and bullets hit them.

I stood grounded, unable to move or help. My mouth was open, but no sound came out. The gunmen were invisible, coming from everywhere, shooting with skill and killing every person they saw. I could see homes fall apart and burst into flames. People falling all around me. They tried to run to the woods, but the gunmen got them before they could run far. For hours it went on, until the last bomb fell and the last person fell on the ground, blood spurting out. Houses crashed into one another into a fiery haze, into a much larger fire.

I was crying, tears streaming down my cheeks as I watched the destruction of my home. I tried to wipe them, but I couldn't. I did not have the energy or control over my body. I heard another gun go off, but there was no one left, until the bullets hit my body. They ricocheted off, and I could hear the growl of frustration from my gunmen. They kept shooting at me, but I could not move or run.

I felt the sting of the bullets that seemed to have found my flesh under the invisible vest, blood coming out in a steady stream. I tried to run, desperately, afraid of dying, and afraid of dying standing. More and more bullets found my skin and shot again and again at my little chinks in the invisible armor. I could feel my life ebb away in the blood that came pouring out.

I opened my mouth to cry out, when I was wakened up by Phylum. I cried out, glad to see my mouth back. "Phylum! Phylum!" I begged and started sobbing like a baby. My fingers clung to his shoulders.

"Calla!" he called out to me from the midst of my heavy thoughts, "Calla!" he said in his sweet voice. "It's okay, Calla! Everything is okay. You're fine. Everything is okay!" he assured me.

I felt like a rabid dog, clawing and screaming in pain. My breathing slowed down once I caught sight of his grey eyes in front of mine. I let go of him, no doubt hurting him from my grip. I fell back onto the soft bed with a sigh. That was the worst nightmare I've ever had.

I laid a cold hand on my hot cheek, feeling it damp from the tears. "Are you okay?" Phylum asked me in soft worry, as usually does when he's not annoyed or grumpy. I nodded in answer, spent out from my horrible dream. "I was going to town to get some things for mom, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

"Yes, I'll come." I say, getting up to my feet. "Just give a minute to fix myself up." That's what I need, to get away. A small break from my sleeping life.

"Sure. I'll be downstairs." He said and left, checking over his shoulder at me to make sure I was definitely okay.

I made my way to the small bathroom, washing my face with cold water and dried it, before making my way back downstairs. "Ready?" Phylum asked me once I reached him at the door.

"Yeah." I put on my boots and we go to the village. It wasn't until we reached the town center when I thought that maybe I should've reconsidered coming. The dream was still fresh in my mind and I could still see people trying to flee the bombs and gunfire from the district.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Phylum asked me carefully, watching me with his observant eyes.

I nodded, not in the mood to talk at the moment. "I'm fine. It'll pass, won't it?"

He didn't say anything to that, just kept a determined gaze ahead of us. "If your dreams are keeping you from sleeping, Calla, we have to do something about it. Maybe you should get some medicine to help you sleep-"

I interrupted him, "Phylum, I'm fine. I just blame mom for giving me the scary dream genes." I said with a light smile.

He did not return the smile and shook his head, "Heredity." he muttered, "Gets the best of us." I nearly forget that my brother was a serious genius. He is the smartest kid in his grade. Even though I was older than him by a few years, he was smarter than me. I always wondered whose genes he got. Not moms, she smart, but not genius. Same with dad. Unless it's an ancestor that was seriously smart.

I gave up on the subject, both of us walking side by side. I was quite short, easily smaller than Phylum, but he was only taller by a few inches. But I was naturally small boned, while Phylum had a lot of dads build. Phylum still has years to go until he's fully grown.

Right now, I was eighteen, and he was fifteen. I debated whether or not to go and get some candy as a present for mom. Candy was a weakness for mom, and she'll do anything to get her hands on it. "I'm going to get some candy." I say to Phylum, pointing to the low building in the middle of the center.

He nods, "I'll be at the market." he walks away, giving me some money.

I take it, holding it firmly in my hands. I enter the small store, that has a relatively good amount of customers on this late autumn afternoon. I walk past the row after row of candied, jellied, hard, soft, and gummy sweets. I pick out the lemon drops, and a couple of jellied and hard candies. I put them in all small separate bags.

I walk to the front of the store to the cashier and set the three small bags on the counter. The boy, one I don't know, takes it and counts it up. "$3.94." He said in a gravely voice, his grey eyes following my every move

I pick out the money and hand it to him. He gives me the change, and I take it. I leave without another word, in an awkward shuffle. I could still feel his grey eyes following after me, even through the concrete wall that covered the market from the rest of the center.

I found Phylum easily in the crowd with his blonde curls. I gave him the rest of the money without a word. He takes it from me with a raised eyebrow but doesn't say anything too. He finishes up and we both walk back home without any more conversation about my nightmares.

I gave the lemon drops to mom. She took them and started crying and popped one in her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks as she closed her eyes to savor the flavor.

I knew about Prim. I knew about the lemon drops and Haymitch Abernathy who never comes around anymore. He left to the Capitol a few years ago, saying that the district gave him too much of a heartache. I wondered why would it give him a heartache if he lost everyone he loved long ago, before the rebellion.

Mom hugged me tightly and I gave the hard candies to my brother and dad, who liked the fruit flavor, and accepted them graciously. I liked the jellied ones, the soft gushy ones that reminded me of tears. They reminded me of the people my parents lost and the fight everyday I struggle with.

A knock came on the front door, loud but quiet, like the knocker was unsure. "I wonder who that could be?" Peeta asked aloud.

Katniss shrugged and opened it, staring at the person.

It was a man. He was tall, dark hair, like mine and Katniss's. He had the Seam grey eyes. He was handsome. He was bedraggled. He looked horrible, but like he was afraid. He looked like a stranger asking for help from a town person.

Katniss stared at him, completely shocked to the bone. Her mouth was wide open in recognition of the stranger at our doorstep.

"Gale."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

_Katniss opened the door and her jaw dropped. Her eyes open wide in recognition of the stranger at the door._

**_"Gale."_**

}l{

Gale Hawthorn sat at the dining table opposite of Katniss. She gave him some of the soup she made for dinner, watching him as he ate. I sat down on the far side, Phylum next to me, both studying him carefully. Peeta stood at Katniss's shoulder, arms crossed, watching him with his intense blue eyes.

Katniss leaned against the table on her elbows, studying her old friend who she hasn't seen for over twenty-five years. I could tell it was hard for mom to swallow this situation, after all, it was Gale's bomb that killed her sister. She herself looked sad, like she was going to cry from the flood of memories that came up the moment she saw Gale. But she was stronger than that, and she wanted to know why he came back after years of separation in District 2.

I myself wondered why he came back. To beg for forgiveness was not likely. He's not the begging type. As was for them to run away together, they were past that. So it must be that he needs her help of some sort. He certainly has the guts to come back and ask for help, I'll give him that.

We did not say a word until Gale finished his soup. He pushed the bowl away with a satisfied smile. He turned sober when his eyes met Katniss's. "Katniss." he began.

"Gale." she said, her voice hollow.

"Katniss."

"Gale."

"Well, now that we've established each other's names, perhaps we can get to the point like on why you're here?" Peeta asked him sarcastically.

I was thrown off guard, I've never seen my dad act like. Never angry, always had his emotions under a mask and well hidden from others. He was usually the one whose the most preoccupied and calm person in this entire family. I tend to be a little rash at moments, doing crazy things. Phylum was the smart one. Mom was the one who was the least stable at moments, I don't blame her, she's had lots of scary and scarring things happen to her.

Gale looked up at him with a caution that I usually don't see in people. He cleared his throat, "Katniss. There's a problem in the Capitol. We are getting reports of people sneaking around and getting in groups at night. Peacekeepers disappearing at night too, never to be seen again." He looked at all us; me, Phylum, Peeta, and Katniss. "We're afraid of a rebellion, even though everything is going well on the government. Economy is good and all that, but these strange behaviors are rising questions that the districts are asking us, and we don't have answers to them."

Katniss sat there, deep in thought. "Surely you guys in the Capitol can deal with it on your own?"

Gale did not answer, just looked at his hands in shame. She smiled, "You guys don't know how." she said in a musing tone. "Look at that, the Capitol is asking the Mockingjay for help." she laughed at that.

I shared a wary look with Phylum, both sitting uncomfortably suddenly. Like our skin was crawling with ants. We shut our mouths and did not say a word, which was the safest thing we've ever done. I could feel the tension between these two. The old times and the now. _Do we judge each other because of what I did back then?_ was most probably the thought running through their minds.

Katniss and Gale stared each other in the eyes, never blinking, never moving. Eye contact always kept. After several moments of this, Katniss said. "No. I'm not going back. I have a family now, they need me."

Gale looked at me and Phylum and studied us. "Very well. Thank you, for listening, Katniss." He said with a respectful bow to her and us three. "Peeta." Peeta gave a curt jerk back, "Calla and Phylum. Hope to see you two again."

I just bowed in answer, as did Phylum. We watched him take his coat, slip on his boots, and excuse himself back outside. We did not move, nor speak, which was fine, I had nothing to say. "Well." Peeta said, "That's that."

Katniss stared at the door that Gale exited and whispered. "Yes. I suppose that's that."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry it's so short. They're gonna be short for the next few chapters, but hopefully they'll get longer. Thank you for reviewing, it made my day. My computer went AWOL so I couldn't upload. I hope this satisfies you all. R&R! F&F!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

I woke up to the screams of people fleeing from their homes. Three days after I first had that dream, they have intensified in horror. I've woken up my family countless times, and I feel so guilty and bad about it.

In my parents bedroom, I could hear Peeta get up to go to work in his bakery that he opened years ago. I too, could no longer sleep, so I got out of bed and tiptoed downstairs to hunt for some jellied candies. I opened the small pantry, taking out the bag. I sat down on the counter and grabbed a couple, watching the sun rise as I ate the pink, blue, purple, and orange jellies.

I still wondered how bad it must be in the Capitol, especially if Gale came all the way from there to ask Katniss for help. Pretty bad, I concluded. Must be really bad if he came for her help. I wondered what he wanted her to do at the Capitol if she went. Look for the missing Peacekeepers? Try and find the groups held in the night?

A creak brought me out of my thoughts. I looked at my father, who looked sheepish at me as he crept down the stairs. "Sorry." He whispered to me, checking at the top of the stairs to make sure he didn't wake up anybody. He moved closer, grinning once he saw my choice of breakfast. "Good morning." he said good-naturally.

I grinned too, I loved my dad because he lets me eat candy whenever I want. Mom will snatch them away from me and shove them back in the pantry behind some jars where she thinks I won't look. "Good morning." I replied, swinging my legs like I did back when I was five. My dad used to put me on the counter, and let me help him bake something sweet. It was the only time we every bonded, and it was something I loved doing.

I may never truly admit it, but I loved to bake. And frost things. I had a knack for it, and dad kept it a secret from mom. Phylum had a passion for books, so he would get him books from The New Library. We would hide under the blankets and read under the light of a flashlight, a rarity, but dad let us use it. If mom knew, she throw a fit, saying that we need to preserve our batteries just in case of a blackout. We rarely get blackouts anymore, and she knows it.

"Good. Nice choice there." he teases, taking a few.

"Dad, not fair." I whisper to him, but let him take them either way. I love my dad, and I'll do a lot of things to keep him happy.

"Life's not fair." he reminds me in his fatherly voice he's so horrible at.

I sigh and shove one more jelly in my mouth as he kisses the top of my head. "Have a good day." he whispers lovingly.

He breezes out, and he barely catches my, "You too."

* * *

><p>I slept in the next morning, no school today. It's the day when the districts got their freedom from the harsh rule of the Capitol. I find it ironic that the government still calls the Capitol the Capitol. Despite everything that happened back then, they can't let go of the name.<p>

Phylum was sleeping soundly in the bed opposite of the room we shared. I sighed quietly, dreams, these dreams won't leave me alone. They keep plaguing me, twisting in the dark corners of my mind, bringing a fear I've never known in my life.

I usually love to sleep, but this, was just frightening. I simply cannot sleep, tossing and turning all night without end. I'm so afraid, this is very strange and scary for me. I worry for my health, ha. That's amusing, when I should worry about school or grades or chickens crossing the roads, instead I'm worrying about the dreams that will come at night while I sleep.

I get up to my feet carefully, not to wake up my sleeping brother, and tiptoe downstairs to watch the sun come up better. I dunno why, but watching the sun rise calms me in a way I cannot describe. Yes, it's terrifying to know that this day is another day and I must face it. But at the same time, it's good to know that I'm still here, alive.

Many have died in the rebellion, and from what Gale told us, we might be facing another. One we do not know about. I sit on the couch, watching the dark sky turn pale pink and then to a golden glow, and then into a light blue. An hour defiantly passed for the amount of time I sat there watching it come up, and I was unaware of my mom standing at the foot of the stairs.

I leaped up to my feet as she sat down next to the spot I vacated. "Mom." I hiss under my breath, then breathe a sigh of relief. "Don't do that. You scared me to death." I sit back down.

A small smile played on the lips of my mother, but it melted like she remembered something distasteful. "Calla." she whispered, and took my hand in both of hers.

I looked at them, and frowned. Something was wrong, she's acting weird. Like she has some bad news that I don't know. "Mom." I say warily, "What's wrong?"

She looked at me with her sad, grey eyes, full of the horror she's seen. "I'm going to the Capitol to help Gale."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: For some strange reason, I've decided to update. Maybe because it's the weekend for me and I like the weekends even though I couldn't sleep in. **

**Anyways, enjoy, and thanks for the reviews!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

_She looked at me with her sad, grey eyes, full of the horror she's seen. _**_"I'm going to the Capitol to help Gale."_**

}l{

"What do you mean, "you're going to the Capitol to help Gale"?" I ask her with a certain calm I've never felt before. I pull my hand away from hers. I wonder if she's lost it. Why on earth would she need to go and help Gale when he killed her sister? Isn't it him who owes her?

She looked at her hands, no longer holding mine. "I-I want to help. It's been years since I've seen him, and it has made me realize that I miss him. I miss being his friend, and I miss being there for him, as he has been for me." She glanced up at me, "You understand this, don't you?" her eyes were like lasers, looking through my soul for an answer I was unsure of.

"I suppose I don't. I don't have any true friends, except you guys, I guess." I whisper back, I feel like I can no longer meet her eyes. I don't even know my own mom anymore.

"Calla." She whispers, trying to take my hand in hers again, but I yank it from her grip. I don't know why I'm acting like this, but she decided this on her own without telling us. We've should've at least talked about it as a family. "Please, try to understand. I'm doing this to help him. No one else, not the rest of them, just him. I'm not doing this for the Capitol or the people who lied to me, I'm doing it for him."

I thumbed over this. "I'm coming with you." I said to her as I turned to face her.

"No, Calla! It is too dangero-!" she protested, but I interrupted her.

"I don't care. If you go in, I go in with you. That's the deal. You either go in with me, or not go at all. I'm not letting my mom go by herself on job that could be potentially dangerous." I told her, both eyes looking straight at her to get my point across.

She studied me and threw her hands, sighing deeply, not saying anything but thinking. "I can't let you go with me." she whispered at last.

"Then I won't let you go at all." I said to her.

She bit her lip and nodded, "Very well. We'll both go."

"Go where?"

We both turned ourselves to face Peeta and Phylum. They were both sleepy looking. Phylum rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Where are you two going?"

Katniss shifted uncomfortably on the couch, "Nowhere." she denied any such thought of going somewhere.

"We're going to the Capitol to help Gale." I told them.

"Let us go too!" Phylum said excitedly, no longer tired. He raced over to us and grabbed moms hands. "Please, please, please mom!"

"I won't let you go by yourselves, ladies." Peeta said as he walked closer. "I'm coming too."

"Yes, me too!" Phylum exclaimed loudly.

"No." Me and mom both said at the same time sternly.

"Please." Both boys made big, sad eyes at us.

"No."

They continued to make the big eyes.

And that's how we all ended up going to the Capitol together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Screw life, I decided to update. Don't get your hopes up that I'll keep updating so often as I have been, I have other stories and I'm such a procrastinator and need to work on them.**

**Alright, I hope you guys liked that little Phylum and Peeta silliness in there because they are cool and adorable. Now, imagine Phylum with those adorable grey eyes making bambi eyes at you. And his curly curls all bouncy with that poise. His face so sincere and innocent that you want to cry because he's breaking your heart. And how sweet he looks. Great, now forget that picture because Phylum is just that much cuter and sweeter and he's that much better.**

**By the way, whose excited for Mockingjay Part One!? I KNOW I AM! WHOO! Okay, enough fangirliness. **

**R&R! F&F! **

**-C.C. Capitols**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

I leaned against the armrest of the chair, watching the blur of trees pass by as we whizzed by a forest on a bullet train. Sure enough, Phylum and Peeta convinced me and Katniss to come on the job at the Capitol. Only because of their big, pleading eyes that they have mastered so well to get into our hearts and so the only thing we would say is "Ugh, fine".

Mom had called Gale after that for him to arrange a train because the entire family was coming to the Capitol to help him. So here we are, Phylum stuffing his face silly with the delicacies. Peeta, sketching casually the furniture on the train. Katniss looked nervous, glancing around herself like she half expected a Peacekeeper to come out with a gun drawn at her. I was trying to sleep, but it was hard because I wanted to be at the Capitol already.

I was not a fan of traveling, but it shouldn't take too long to get at the Capitol. Maybe two days the most. This model was defiantly the old Capitol high-speed one, speeds ranging on average of 250 miles. Forget two daysto get there, we'll be there in less than a day.

Gale walked in the car, wearing blacks pants and a simple shirt. He looked…happy? Because that we agreed to help him or because of redemption? "How are you guys settling in?" he asked, rubbing his hands in a kid excited way.

"Fine." Peeta muttered, still sketching, never taking his eyes off the furniture. I could tell he was bugged that we were going with Gale, but I guess he wanted to make Katniss happy, so he'll just have to compromise.

"Fantastic. Is there anything else to eat? I think I might've ate everything…" Phylum glanced at the now empty table a little bit remorsefully. His hands were crusted with jellies, and crumbs, and some other unidentifiable particles on his hands.

Gale looked the tiniest bit surprised, but he chuckled it good-naturally off. "Sure, the dining car is that way." He pointed to the caboose.

Phylum grinned widely, showing bits of food between his teeth. "Perfect." He left in search of more food, no doubt to fill his stomach.

Gale walked inches closer to Katniss, "Katniss? How are you?" he asked softly.

"I'm okay. Just…this train is giving me some painful memories. If you don't mind, I'm going to my private headquarters." She stood up and stretched her back, moving closer to the door.

"Want me to come with you?" Peeta glanced up at her worriedly.

She waved him off, "I'll be okay, I just need to relax a bit." she left.

Peeta frowned, but shook off the worry and went back to sketching. I could see him darken the lines to make them stand out better. Give an edge on his sketch. Gale watched me try to sleep and him sketch before excusing himself to the mechanic car.

I sat there and watched my dad sketch. He was so good, he could capture the train car like you could touch it in his drawing. "Dad?" he raised an eyebrow at me, "Why don't you trust Gale?"

He smiled like he knew I was going to ask him that. He looked up, "Why do you think I don't trust Gale?"

"Because you're acting like you want to slap him." I said.

He chuckled at my answer, but didn't answer. I waited patiently, knowing he was going to tell me sooner or later. "Because he hurt your mother, and his bomb may or may not have killed Prim. Then he left without a word and only now appeared again. It just seems fishy to me."

I didn't have anything to say to that, because that too, was my suspicion of Gale Hawthorn. I sighed, and let the rocking of the train slip me into sleep. It took mere moments, when I felt myself fall asleep.

I woke later to the sound of Phylum waking me up to go to the dining car to eat dinner. I groaned, wondering if my younger brother could stop wake me up. Apparently not, he has knack for being annoying and waking me up at the worst/best moments.

"Get up, get up, get up, Calla!" He yelled in my ear, pulling my long dark hair to wake me up.

I swatted at him, and sat up, stretching my back before standing up. "You are so annoying, younger brother." I commented as he ran up ahead, following him.

"Not as annoying at mom and dad will be for you falling asleep." he said.

I, of course, knew that was true. For a girl who did not want to sleep because of her terrifying dreams, I had a knack for sleeping a lot. I entered the dining car, the family already eating. Dad looked at me disapprovingly, but they did not comment. I sat down and was immediately served an orange tortilla soup with a side of nachos. I observed it before eating and decided that I liked it.

Mom and dad had told me about the Avoxes that served people back in the Hunger Games times, but now, it was regular people who got paid for this job. It was a huge accomplishment over the Avoxes and the way they were treated.

We made little conversation, Gale trying to keep it going, but failed miserably, and finally resumed quiet after giving up after many minutes. He then asked a question out of the blue, "Katniss? Do you still use the bow and arrow?"

She looked up at him with such alarm, and shook her head. "No, I've given up on it. Hunting with the bow and arrows years ago, the love for it is gone."

I did not know she had a love for it, but I guess that's why she was known for using that weapon instead of a gun or sword. "I hunt with her old bow and arrow." I blurted and bit my lip in haste for getting the words out of my mouth.

Gale raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Are you any good?"

I tried to give a casual shrug, but failed trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. "I'm alright." Mom glared at me the smallest bit, but let it go after giving up on trying to teach me better years ago, and days ago.

Gale smiled sweetly, ticking me off. "Looks like we have another hunter in the family." Katniss nearly dropped her spoon, but managed to keep herself together in front of us. Gale made no notice to her, "Phylum? What do you do?"

"Read. Eat. Sleep. Help out in the family." he said nonchalantly. He was spooning quickly, trying to have enough space for seconds.

"Read? You like to learn?" Gale asked him.

"Yeah. I'm the smartest kid in my grade." he said with a shrug.

"What grade are you in?"

"Tenth. I'm fifteen." he said, finishing the bowl. "Can I have seconds?" he asked the servers sweetly.

They shared looks at each other, "Sure." One of them said, his voice sounding surprised. He took his bowl and filled him another serving. He set it on the table once he was done.

"Thanks." Phylum said, and started eating.

Gale laughed at him, and I wanted to laugh too, but closed my mouth instead. For the rest of the meal, there was no more conversation, and we were all excused to go to sleep. In the morning, we will reach the Capitol, and there, our job starts.

I washed my face for bed once I was in my room and brushed my hair back, planting it in one, simple braid. The way my mom did it when I was younger. I chose some random night clothes, and fell asleep to the invisible eyes again, except they were in the train.

I tried to run away, but they filled the presence of everyone else and then the dead people came out and they tried to kill me and I woke up with a sudden inhale of air in fear. I could feel my heart beat quickly as I lay there under the covers, the sun was just inching up the sky, and I felt that I was far from home. I knew that.

I sat up, hand pressed against my chest to calm my heart. It took several minutes, and by the time it somewhat calmed down, Phylum was banging on my door that we were going to be in the Capitol in a few minutes.

I got up and changed back into my clothes from the day before, since they were clean and got my stuff together. I exited the room and met my family and Gale in the car where we get off and on. The train stopped in the stop, pulling alongside the platform. It was nearly empty through the windows, except a few people mingling and getting ready to board other trains.

It stopped, the doors opening to reveal the concrete platform. Gale went down first, then mom, dad, me, and then Phylum. We had no idea that someone was waiting for us. He had shaggy blonde hair, eerily familiar blue eyes. He smiled a smile that I had grown accustomed back in District 12.

He greeted us warmly, "Hello, sweethearts."

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites! Makes me happy. Continue bringing those ridiculous grins on my face!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	7. Chapter 6

****Chapter 6:****

_We had no idea that someone was waiting for us. He had shaggy blonde hair, eerily familiar blue eyes. He smiled a smile that I had grown accustomed back in District 12._

_He greeted us warmly, _**_"Hello, sweethearts."_**

}l{

Our jaws were to the floor. It's been years since we've seen Haymitch Abernathy, and it was strange seeing him here in the Capitol. "Haymitch!" Phylum exclaimed and leaped into his arms like a child.

Haymitch smiled wide, "Hey, buddy! How have you been?" he asked him as they grinned at each other.

"Pretty good." Phylum replied, "So, you're here in the Capitol?"

"Yes, I am." He glanced up to me, "Hi, Calla."

"Hi." I smiled too, but Haymitch and Phylum had the true bond. Haymitch was almost Phylum's uncle, the way they acted together. Doing crazy things together back in Twelve.

"Hi, Katniss. Peeta." He said with a warm smile and shook both of their hands.

They both said their hello's. "Shall we?" Gale asked him, pointing towards the city.

"Sure." Haymitch shrugged casually, and we set off after them two.

I checked over my shoulder to see mom's reaction, and she looked disgusted at Haymitch, like she would rather see him dead. I knew he lied to her, but still, they helped each other back in the past. I turned back around and followed my brother's eager, excited steps into the Capitol. He was young, and he did not understand much of the Capitol and its rule, even though he is a genius.

After years of the rule of the Capitol, and years after the rebellion, you still can't take away the grandness of the city. The Shining City on Water. That's what it still was, the shining city on water. The structures still held on after the many years of sitting there.

The walkways, the roads, no longer under construction. People were no longer wearing bright, flamboyant colors and clothes. Most of it was plain colored clothes, but few wore bold red shirts, or purple trousers, or even pink eye make-up. But many have given up on the colorful clothes while the Capitol was still in rule over the districts.

"So, you guys will stay in the new President house, and we'll assign you your tasks once you are settled in your rooms." Gale explained as we neared closer the Presidents house, no longer President Snow's Mansion. We walked up the long flight of stairs, and entered the simple house. They broke down the mansion, giving pieces of the mansion to people's homes and apartments who were in need of construction. It took many years to rebuild the city, the districts, and unity of the people.

"Gale? Are my kids going to help you with this project you told me about?" Katniss asked him in a dangerous tone. My blood immediately ran cold. Apparently, it was one both Gale, and Haymitch were used to.

I could see Gale swallow nervously, his adam's apple bobbing up in slight fear. He turned on his heel, "Your kids are here with you, and they need to help in some way. Phylum can help with the microphone that we plan to put on you. Calla can see to that she might be there in case of back up. Peeta can be back up too, just in case."

"No. I'm not letting my kids go in a possible dangerous job. That was not part of the agreement." Katniss told him sternly.

Gale looked apologetic, "I'm sorry, I'm not the one who makes the rules. Verity, our new President, gave me the orders. I just follow them."

_Like a true solider,_ I jeered in my head, _Always the solider, Gale Hawthorn. _Of course he has to listen to his higher in command. He's just doing his job.

The hallway was beige, tiled, and outlined in brown paint. The walls were light brown, the ceiling tall and had a nice chandelier. It sparkled in the sun like a million of raindrops shining in the sun. It was long, stretching to one side of the house to the other. Doors opened to the hallway. A staircase at the east end was tall, and made of old railing that looked like it won't hold a bird.

Mom looked mad, "Then we won't help-"

"Excuse me?" A woman's voice came from one of the doors. We whirled around to face her. Mom's mouth open in mid sentence. "Is there a problem Mrs. Everdeen?" she asked politely. She eyed me, Phylum, and dad carefully before turning her full attention back to my mom.

She had grey hair that was neatly put in a bun, her old brown eyes showing concern. She had wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. Verity looked like she was a true President. She knew how to maintain order.

Mom eyed her, trying to make the most of her in her outside appearances. "Nothing is wrong. Nothing is wrong at all. It was just a misunderstanding." Katniss assured her with a smile. One, I noted, was fake.

Verity rose her eyebrows up in the slightest surprise, she nodded like that suited her. "Very well, Gale. Will you show them their rooms? We'll have brunch in a little, I expect to see you all at eleven sharp."

Gale bowed his head in respect, "As you wish." He turned to us and motioned with his hand towards a door that was farther down the hallway. "Follow me."

Haymitch took a swig out of his bottle as he followed us too. Verity stepped up to him and took it from him with a quick movement that surprised him. "I told you can't drink here, Mr. Abernathy." she reminded him and threw it against the wall. It broke in pieces, the liquor streaming down to the floor, in a puddle at the bottom.

I decided I liked her. And one look at my family, they did too. Peeta had a ghost of a smile as we left them to their bickering that started once Haymitch saw the broken bottle and liquor on the floor.

}l{

We sat down to eat brunch with President Verity. The tables were elaborate, a bit overdone, in my opinion, and there was a great abundance of food on the plates. It seems to me that the President still has more attention than the common people.

The servers gave us our main course; breakfast sandwiches, freshly squeezed orange juice, a casserole, and french toast with syrup on the side. For our dessert was chilled sorbet, different flavors of fruit. We ate like most civilized people, minimal conversation and the scraping of our spoons on the plates to make up for the quiet that followed. Haymitch was sour about his bottle.

After we had eaten, and were given hot chocolate to wash down the food if wanted, Verity leaned forward to talk with us. "Well, I assume you liked the brunch?"

"Oh yes, it was good." Phylum approved with a childish smile and drank his hot chocolate. He moved his lips away from the brim of the cup for a second and I caught a glimpse of a mustache. I had to resist the urge to laugh at his silly expression.

"Indeed." Peeta agreed with his son.

Verity glanced at me and my mom expectantly and we both nodded our heads vigorously. "Good. Now to business." Her soft tone turned graver, "We have a big job coming up later, and I expect full cooperation from all of you."

We nodded to this. She studied us and continued, "Katniss, you will go in at night to one of the night groups held by the people. You will wear a small microphone hidden in your ear and jacket so that we can hear you at all times. A contact lens camera will provide us the image that we will see from your eyes. Your son and our experts will watch you carefully to make sure the mission will run smoothly." She turned to me, "Calla, you will assist your mother in trying to get in as a new member, you may or may not have to do certain expectations to get in. We hope you try your best to get in. Katniss, you are just deciding whether or not you will join. Join three days later after your daughter. Peeta," She turned to my father, "You will go with Gale and Haymitch to try and find the missing Peacekeepers."

Peeta and Katniss tried to object, but she cut them off. "No if, ands, or buts. You agreed to these circumstances and agreement. You will follow them throughly and fully. Understood?" She met both of their eyes. They nodded, because we didn't have much of a choice now. We agreed to help, and help we will.

"Excellent. We start tomorrow night. I want you all to get a good night sleep tonight. You will be up for a while. Well throughout the night tomorrow. Enjoy your time until then." She smiled and stood up, very fashionably and left, her high heels clicking against the tile floor.

We all looked at each other, unsure what to do. Phylum shrugged, "Looks like I'm doing nothing. Again." Haymitch chuckled, "They should've sent you instead of your sister."

Phylum winked at my disgusted look and went off with Haymitch to go and look for some trouble. Gale got up with Peeta and talk about their mission. Mom went to lay down for a while. I sighed and took a cup of still steaming hot chocolate and went to look around the small house.

I walked around aimlessly, not really going anywhere, just wherever my feet led me. I stared at the portraits of previous Presidents. I stared at the other leaders and the many that died in the rebellion for its cause. Only a couple caught my eye. Finnick O'dair. Boggs. And Coin of course, though she was murdered by my mom, I don't understand why she's up there.

Finnick was handsome. I felt bad for Annie, his wife, and the son that never knew him. Boggs who gave up his life for the mission of Katniss to fulfill and kill Snow. Coin, who reeked of a snake as much as Snow.

I kept walking, up the stairs and found a room of nicely cushioned couches. I didn't dare touch anything, but kept sipping my hot chocolate and moved around without a sound from me. I walked through offices, not touching, but just looking. Walked through rooms, same concept, until I stumbled upon a balcony. The view was incredible, of the city and the sun high up in the sky.

Great big columns from the front of the house and done up well. I looked at the view before moving on back downstairs and into the garden. Hedges perfectly trimmed and green. Flowers and all sorts of trees losing their leaves before the winter. Benches for a pair of lovers to watch the sunset in the dusky twilight. Lanterns to light the way. No, this was not the districts, where it's still hard after years of stability and beauty was near impossible.

I sat there in the garden, listening to the mockingjays. I fell asleep to their song.

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><p><strong>AN: Review, follow, and favorite, guys. Make me smile.**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	8. Chapter 7

****Chapter 7:****

I walked down the dark alley, trying to fit my earpiece well in my ear. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure I'm not being followed, and I'm not. I hid the earpiece with my dark long hair, wavy from the braid I put it in, covering it well. I wearing brown boots; combat, a hooded black sweater, and black pants the material of denim.

My face was clear of make-up, except a little around my eyes to darken my face and so no one would recognize me. Haymitch says I look too much like my mother and even now, years after the rebellion, she is not forgotten. He saw my face and ordered a stylist to fix me up. She has stripes and whiskers. Mom greeted her warmly, "Tigris."

Tigris purred softly and they embraced. She had a low, gravely voice when she spoke. "Katniss. Glad to see your still alive."

"Yes, I am." Mom says with a smile.

I fiddle with my earpiece once more, as I near the warehouse where the night meetings are held. _"Calla." _My brothers voice filled my ear, _"Stop messing with the earpiece, I can hear everything. You're getting closer to the warehouse and they may have cameras watching."_

I whisper out of the corner of my mouth. "Okay. I'm here. I'm going in."

Someone comes out, a male, I believe. He sees me and freezes, "Who are you?" he asks me in a deep voice.

I look over my shoulder and step closer, "I'm here for the night meetings." I tell him.

I cannot see him in the pale light of the sliver of the moon, but I can see his eyes glow. He blinks and thinks about it. He nods once as he comes to the conclusion that I'm new. "Very well, come on in." he opens the door and holds it out for me.

"Thanks." I say and go in. To the point of no return. Inside, there was a soft golden glow from the light that played around the walls and people huddled around each other in groups of six or ten. Conversation stops and everyone stares at me.

"Whose she, Nade?" A boy of nineteen steps up, his blonde hair was slicked up with some gel. His green were cold as he took me in.

Everyone eyes me as I swallow hard, Nade, the guy who opened the door for me, says with a rise of his chin. "She's new. This is…" he glances at me because he did not know my name.

I step up and give a rise of my chin too, "I'm Betony." I lie, no way was I going to give them my real name. And Haymitch said I couldn't or else he was going to skin me alive.

Nade nods, "Betony. She's new guys, don't hold back and let her fell welcome. You all remember your first day here." Nods and murmurs of agreement were exchanged and a middle-aged woman stepped closer.

"Thank you, Nade." she thanks him politely.

He bows respectively to her and walks away to a group of older teenagers and young adults of ten. He joins their conversation easily with a smile and hand shake to all. They embrace him quickly and they talk.

I stand around, unsure what to do, now that I was in. The middle-aged woman comes up to me, smiling all-knowingly as she studied. I found it a bit uncomfortable, but ignored it, tossing it aside. "So…" I look around myself, "What is all these night meetings about?" I ask her.

She smiles, "They are about bringing more freedom for the youngsters. Betony, how old are you?" she asks me, tilting her head to size me up.

"I'm eighteen." I blurt out quickly, I instantly can hear Haymitch curse in my ear. I ignore it and smile to cover up my tracks. "Yeah, I'm eighteen. Is there an age requirement here?" I ask her, pointing to the mostly teenagers in the room.

She laughs good-naturally, "Oh, no. There's no age limit here, no. We have ages of all sorts. Yapok there," she points to a young boy, "Is twelve, he's the youngest one here, but he believes he's doing a good cause. Pyracantha over there is the oldest one, she's nearly sixty." She pointed to an older woman that had graying hair and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.

I nod, understanding more and more about this group the minute. "So, all ages then. And, why do we want freedom for the younger citizens?" I ask dumbly, because I don't really understand this government all the well, I'm still learning about it in school and there's so much to learn about it.

She looks at me, like she's reading my mind, making me feel even more uncomfortable. "Everyone is supposed to have rights in our government, but our President lied about that, not everyone has the rights." she motions to the younger people in the room, "And they want the rights, and I believe that they deserve them. Which is why I'm doing all this undercover night meetings. We want to come forward about this, but slowly, if we come too soon, it'll look like a rebellion, which is not what we want."

"We don't want to rebel?" I ask innocently. Haymitch purrs in my ear to keep my act up.

"Why, no. We just want the rights, and yes, we will do whatever it takes to get them, but we don't to overthrow the government, oh no. That would be bad." she says.

"It would?"

She smiles bigger, "Quite yes, my dear, Betony. Imagine the rebellion." I did, "Now imagine it five times worse, ten times, _twenty _times worse." I did, and honestly, it would be astronomical.

"That would be astronomical." I say, putting everything together.

She nods, "Yes, it would be. When we had the rebellion, we had everything planned out, if we were to rebel now, it would be worse, so much worse because there would be more chaos. People would panic because no one knows how the new government would be. It could be like how the Capitol once was, with the Hunger Games, and I don't think we want that."

I shake my head, and she smiles, "Good, now. Why don't you join some discussions, huh? I think that would do you some good, go and talk to people your age. It's only healthy for you youngsters." I've never heard the word "Youngsters" before, so it must be a very old word, from before Panem.

I nod and wander aimlessly, it's not until I see Nade, that I join a group. He was handsome, his hair slightly curly and a light brown. He had beautiful blue eyes, ones the color of the ocean when the sun is directly hitting it. He had strong features, including the jaw, and was tall. Taller than Phylum by at least six inches, close to the height of Gale. In fact, I think he is as tall as Gale.

I slid in between him and a girl with dark skin. I smile to her nicely and look up at Nade. "Hey." I greet him, though we did not actually introduce ourselves, I felt closer to him than the middle-aged woman and anyone else here.

"Hey." he says back with an easy smile.

The other ten people in the group eye me and go back to their conversation. "Nade, if we openly go up to the government, they'll ignore us as protestors!" The boy with the slicked blonde hair told Nade, he was pointing a thick finger to the papers. Four were thumbing through the papers, reading and listening the conversation. Others were writing ideas on notebooks with pencils, they nodded along and wrote everything down as an idea.

I wondered if this was what every group was doing, or was it just this one and each group did something else and put their energy into that topic. I suppose the latter. "What if one person just came up at first, and each time, add more and more people to the group of people who wants change?" I ask the group.

The people writing stopped in mid-sentence and glanced up at me. They shared looks and the blonde haired guy looked at me. "Excuse me?" he asks me in a dangerous tone.

I felt like I was in the shark alley, and if I wanted to get out alive, I had to throw out the bait. "I-uh." I stammer uncomfortably, "I said, what if one person came up and told the government they thought. No doubt they'll get blown over, and once they do, bring more people little by little. Once there is enough people, they'll have to listen and they can't ignore us then." I say, glancing up at Nade who was grinning.

The blonde narrows his eyes and nods, "Sure, whatever, we can do that." He leaves to the middle-aged woman.

The people writing in the notebooks start writing my idea, for some reason, I feel proud of myself. Haymitch mutters in my ear approvingly of my idea. I ignore him, I don't need him, I'm fine where I was. I glance at the blonde who was talking with her. He wasn't pointing me out, which I suppose is good, but I can't relax. "Hey, Betony, loosen up. Algal is just talking with Calcatrippa, he's a bit cold at first, but he warms up once you get to know him." Nade whispers in my ear.

I flinch slightly and look at him. His eyebrows are up to the top of his forehead, "Sorry, you scared me." I say, and relax, believing Nade, since he seemed like a very sincere guy. "Calcatrippa is…?"

He smiles, "She's the one you were talking to." he says easily and goes back to the conversation. For the rest of the time, I drone out Haymitch and his requests and my mind goes into this world of the undercover night meetings.

Hours later of discussion and talking, we ate a quick snack of a sandwich and some juice. I sit next to Nade, who invited me to, and the dark skinned girl. Her name turns out to be Daphnia. She's originally from District Eleven, but she moved here with her older brother and younger sister. They don't know about her going to the night meetings because she's afraid of what they'll think. She has long brown hair, like her body, and her eyes are a soft caramel brown. She's naturally very pretty.

We talk, and I say that I lived in the Capitol my entire life. Nade is originally from District Four. He moved from there here with his family, and they too, don't know about him going to night meetings. "I come home before they wake up. They don't even suspect a thing." he says with a smile.

I smile back and they ask if I sneak out. "Yeah, I snuck out tonight. Someone from told me about the meetings and I was curious. So I came, and I have to admit, I'm not disappointed."

They laugh and we go back to our group once more to finish up on ideas with Algal there. He mostly ignores me, and when it comes to leave, Calcatrippa says she'll see us next week's night meeting. "They're not every night?" I ask Nade and Daphnia as we move closer to the door.

Nade shakes his head, "No. Only once a week. It's a good thing you came tonight or else you would have trouble finding it."

I nod, "Alright, see you two next week." I say and slid out next to Daphnia. Peacekeepers are just changing shifts for the night shift, so we have to move fast or we'll get caught. I slink near the wall and around the corner, "Bye, Daphnia." I hiss and race down the alley.

She whispers a goodbye and goes the opposite way. I make sure I'm not being followed be someone in the meeting and race towards the Presidents house. I run into a dark individual who clamps their hand over my mouth and blindfolds me before I can scream or fight them off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for reviewing! Sorry if my writing is hard to understand, I'm trying to make it better. Also, I know this story is Calla's point of view, and when I refer her parents as "Mom and Dad" and back to their names, I know it's a bit confusing, I'm trying not to write it like that, but it's hard. Gimme time, it'll work.**

**A cliffhanger?**

**Review and follow and favorite!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

_They have me for sure. I'm going to die…_I think as my killer comes back. The footsteps click on the floor and the person rips off my blindfold and tape. I face a furious Haymitch. "What were you thinking!?" He roars at me, "You shouldn't have tuned me out! You could've easily died, then what!? Our plan would've failed because Miss Calla Everdeen Mellark thought it was best to run the ONE ROUTE I TOLD HER NOT TO GO ALONG!"

I raise my eyebrows the slightest, "You pretend to kidnap me and this is what you do? Chew me out?"

He growls and I believe I may have stepped over the line. He pushes his long blonde hair out of his hair in frustration, "Next time, Calla, please just listen to me and go along the route we say before then, okay?"

"Okay. Can you let me go now?" I ask, pulling against the robes that tied me to the chair I was sitting in.

"Yeah." He grabs a pocket knife and cuts through and frees me.

"Thanks." I say.

"Yeah, well. We have a week to figure out your next move in the meeting. So, get some sleep." He says gruffly and I obey.

I run up the stairs to the top and pull it open. I was under the garden, no wonder I'm frozen. I race to the house and go inside, finding no one and go to my room. I barely make it in when I fell on the bed and fell asleep within moments.

}l{

I wake up to Phylum bouncing on my bed.

"What happened?" He asks me, eating a bagel with some kind of cheese spread over the top like a butter.

I groan and push him away, "Go away, I was sleeping." I say and try to go back to sleep.

He doesn't leave and pokes my shoulder. "Tell me. After Haymitch got in a raving temper tantrum, it got all blurry."

"It got all blurry?" I ask quizzically, turning back around to face him.

He grins, and I see a splitting image of dad. "Yeah. I went to bed and fell asleep."

I groan once more and shove my face into my pillow. My brother can be a genius, but he can also be an idiot.

}l{

For the rest of the week, nothing happened except Katniss and Haymitch got in a fight. It was about me going first and in by myself without any back-up. They fought and argued for an hour, yelling involved. Me and Phylum went to walk through the garden. Dad excused himself to their room and did not come out until they stopped fighting.

I was in the kitchen, talking with a chef who gave me some hot chocolate and marshmallows to warm me up. Phylum was eating a sugary doughnut and downing his hot chocolate. Dad creeped in quietly.

"I'm not intruding, am I?" He asks us, including the chef.

Phylum smiles to show ease and I speak up. "Course not, dad. Do you want some hot chocolate and doughnuts?" I ask, holding up my cup.

He grins and moves closer, joining us at the bar stools. "I would love some."

The chef runs off to make some and comes back within moments. Dad takes a cup and a doughnut. He sips some of the hot chocolate and sighs in content. "That hit the spot." He comments and leans back in the high stool. We don't speak as he studies us carefully. The mood changes drastically. "So, what are you two up to?"

Phylum shrugs, "Nothing."

My father looks at me and I too, shrug. "Nothing." I say nonchalantly.

He raises the slightest of an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He asks us.

"Yeah." We say at the same time.

"Okay." He says and turns to me ever so slightly. "Calla, your mother doesn't want you to go tomorrow night to the meeting."

I frown, "It's not her choice. It's mine. And if I don't go, it'll look suspicious."

He sighs and nods. "I know. But you know how can she be when she's stubborn as a mule."

Sadly, I do. There have been many moments when she would never allow me to go to the field trips for school because she's "worried about my safety" and whatnot she can make up. "And she's not letting me go?"

"Yup."

I sigh, and finish my cup. "In that case..." I say as I stand up and place the cup on the counter. "I have to go and have a word with her."

"Good luck." Phylum mutters as he sips his hot chocolate.

"Thanks." I say quietly and leave the kitchen. I search for my mom, who was upstairs sitting on a couch staring at the stars near the window. "Mom?"

She looks up, "Yes?"

I cross my arms over my chest. "Why won't you let me go tomorrow night to the meetings?"

She bites her lip and fidgets with her wedding ring. "I'm afraid for you, Calla." My spine lifts up in interest. I move closer and sit down next to her. She glances at me. "I want you to be safe. I lost so many people during the rebellion and...I don't want to lose my daughter."

I grab her hand and clasp it with my own. "Mom." I whisper softly. "You don't have to be afraid for me. I'm old enough to know how to take care of myself without you keeping my feathers clean."

She looks at me sadly. "Yes, I suppose you are."

"I am." I say encouragingly, "And you know I am."

She nods, and sighs. "Very well, then. Good night, Calla." She leans over to kiss my forehead and brush a stray strand of hair behind my ear lovingly.

"You too, mom." I say and kiss her cheek. I get up and leave her be to her thoughts as she was before. But I think that I may have disturbed them the moment I came in.

A mockingjay sings a four note song outside my window as I fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I just wanted to say, I will most probably be updating every four, five, or maybe even six days the most. Chapters really do depend on what I feel is best to put in the chapter, not how many days it take to update.**

** Thank you all who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Wow, this is a great, great day! You are all fantastic! Cookies?**

_**(::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**_

**-C.C. Capitols**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

For many weeks, I have gone to the night meetings. And every week, more and more people were trusting me into their groups.

Now, five weeks after my first night meeting, I was on my sixth, for a month and two weeks I have been going. Calcatrippa has already trusted me, as Nade and Daphnia told me. Only Algal was still skeptical of me.

Nade told me my first night that it would take a while for him to trust me, but I didn't think it would take this long.

I was a troubled person on this note. As of right now, I was walking to my sixth night meeting. Next week, Katniss was going in. This was my last week alone before she comes in.

Haymitch said nothing looked strange, but I should keep my eyes open either way.

I pushed the door open, the yellow light cast upon my caked on face. Tigris still put on make up, just in case, though I thought it was redundant. Nobody recognized me from the rebellion, so I should be okay overall.

I spot Nade and Daphnia right away. I make my way through the people, greeting the ones I already knew, introducing myself to the ones I didn't. Finally, I reach them.

"'Bout time." Nade mutters under his breath. "We were going to start without you."

"Well, I'm here now." I say as I pick up a notebook. Tonight was my night to write down the ideas. As I flip through to find a new page, my eye catches some words. I stop and go back, searching for it. I find it and read through it. It was a small letter on the disappearing Peacekeepers:

_Cal,_

_We are successful for the officials to worry about the missing Peacekeepers. They have issued a Code Red to all of the other Peacekeepers, trying to them to have shorter shifts. I toast to a job well done. But they are watching out more mow. Keep in mind. _

_-N.G._

I frown, probably obvious enough that Nade asks me what's wrong. I glance up, "Nothing," I deny, turning quickly to a new page.

As I return back to the group, all of them staring at me curiously and Algal was glaring at me. "If you don't mind, _Betony_, we have to get back to work."

"Of course." I say and we go to work. But the entire time I'm writing my mind goes back to the letter on the disappearing Peacekeepers. Once we finish for the snack break, I take a few minutes to reread the entire letter. It literally was about how successful they were to get the officials to panic about the missing Peacekeepers. The letter was for a Cal, and was from a N.G.

I puzzled over this N.G. Who was this person that they couldn't even sigh their full name? And who was this Cal? Calcatrippa? Surely not.

I closed the notebook, making sure no one was watching me, and none were. I set it back on the stack of notebooks and joined my two new friends before break ended.

"You all right?" Daphnia asked me once I sat down next to them with juice and a snack. "You were acting all weird."

"I'm fine." I assure and bite into my Danish treat. "This is great." Nade and Daphnia laugh at my indulging expression and I grin with crumbs all over me lips and cheeks, but I don't care. I'm in absolute love.

Breaks ends with a flourish and we are whisked back to our groups once more for a double check before we leave. We finished up and I start to leave for home. Nade walks with me outside as we slip out unnoticed. His hands are in his front pockets, his expression mysterious from the moon casting shadows on his face.

We arrive our separating point. He looks at me as if he was seeing me for the first time. "Betony, what were you doing during break?" He asks, leaning closer to me.

I give a small jump back, "Nothing. I was just finishing up the notes." I lie to him, trying to act natural.

He nods as if that makes sense, "Okay." He looks around himself as if to make sure no one was watching us. "Goodnight, Betony." He says and gives me a soft kiss on my cheek, close to my mouth. He leaves without a second look like a shadow in the dark.

I gap after him, my face tingling, from where his lips touched my cheek. I touched it with my fingers, making sure I wasn't dreaming. It's not like I like Nade, sure he was handsome, but I barely knew him, and he was very good looking, I'll admit.

I walk the route that I now took since my first mistake with Haymitch. Deep in thought and very tired, I slip into the house unnoticed, thankfully, and fall asleep within moments."

My nightmares wake me up later. They were the one's that I had back at Twelve, the ones where I'm being watched be the invisible eyes and my district being attacked by the unseen ambush.

I get up out of my warm bed and tiptoe downstairs to the kitchen, making some hot chocolate all by myself and glance at the clock as I pour the finished product in the cup. It was four in the morning and I knew sleep futile. That was one thing I inherited from my parents, the trouble of falling asleep. Phylum, on the other hand, sleeps like a bear in hibernation and I envy him.

I go around the house, my feet taking me wherever it wants to go. I look at the pictures in the pale light of the early light of morning. I end up in the President's office. I turn around to leave, since what she does and has is none of my business, but a name catches my eye.

I walk over to look at it and put my cup on the desk and give a quiet gaps. I read the biography about the person, scanning and becoming even more and more horrified at what I was reading:

**Nade O'dair Cresta**

_**Height: 6'2" Sex: M Age: 20 Eyes: Blue Ethnic: Unknown**_

_**From District Four, only son of Finnick O'dair and Annie Cresta. Annie was declared unstable after the death of her husband and he was taken away from her and was placed in a foster home at four months old. **_

_**She was taken to a mental hospital and is still there to this day. **_

_**Adopted at eleven months old and has stayed with them ever since. He goes by the name Nade Green now. **_

_**Associated with the night meetings is being monitored by the President herself. **_

_**Expected death, accidental. **_

_**No more than four weeks for him to live.**_

With shaky fingers I accidentally knocked the cup off the desk. The cup shatters and I freeze. The President's bedroom was right next to the office. A light flickers in her bedroom under the crack of her door and I'm out of there.

I make it to my bed just as I hear people coming out of their rooms as the guards run down from the Presidents room. They assure them everything is alright and to just go to bed. As they left to the kitchen, the name swam in my head again and again until I fall asleep.

**Nade O'dair Cresta.**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the long wait, I've been busy with multiple tests this past week. I know that's a bad excuse, well, it's true. I had not anticipated to put Finnick's and Annie's son in this story, but That1NamedJekka gave me a good idea, so I just went with it. Thank you, That1NamedJekka, for helping me. **

**Thank you all who review and follow and favorite!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

I was sitting to Nade writing earnestly when my mom slid into the night meetings. Conversation stopped when we saw that there was another person with her. I did not recognize the person, a male well in his fifties.

They looked uncomfortable, my mom looked she wanted to speak up, but the man beat to it. "Is this where the night meetings are held?" He asked in a low, gravely voice, as if he smoked for years.

Calcatrippa stepped up, "Yes, this is where they are held. Are you two new?" She asked politely, trying not to scare my mom who looked afraid.

"We are, I'm Dominic." The man introduced himself.

"And I'm Juna." Katniss lied easily, I was glad to see that she had improved on the lying train.

Calcatrippa smiled easily, to put the two at ease. "I'm Calcatrippa, the founder of this foundation. Please, be at ease and do not hesitate to ask questions. We are all apart of this revolution of the thinking for each person in this room." She said, both arms up as if she was going to hug everyone.

The man nodded as we went back to our spots in our conversation. He was short, stocky, and had graying hair. But underneath the pants he wore, I could see distinctive muscles rippling. I knew he was in the military or something, and the way he held himself, he was authority. The way he put his hands behind his back and watched with mild interest.

He walked around, watching everyone as we worked. He went to one of the older groups and asked a couple questions, where he spent a while listening intently.

Mom shuffled around in a respectful way, curiously watching because she couldn't help it, these night meetings were intriguing. She walked to one other group, asking a few questions, before going to Calcatrippa to get clarification.

Two weeks ago, a new arrival, a girl of thirteen, pale, blonde, and small in body and figure. When mom saw her, she froze, and it wasn't until we were back in the Presidents house that I understood why. She looked like Prim.

Mom snapped out of it and walked around in a daze after that constantly glancing at the girl every so often, but she nerve came my way. I saw Algal regard her but he didn't say anything. Once break sounded, both of the two new arrivals looked up in surprise. I saw someone whisper to them that it was just break.

They both relaxed, but I could see my mom dig her fingernails into the palm of her hand to assure herself everything was okay. I tried not to look her way very often, but it got hard after a while. As Daphnia, me, and Nade got our doughnuts and apple juice, we sat down on benches on the sides of the room. We talked about the two new arrivals quietly as we ate, heads down but looking up to study them for a few seconds before commenting something else we have spotted in them.

"He walks with authority." Nade commented, his blue eyes watching Dominic intently.

"That's what I thought." I piped in, and when he looked at me, I could feel the heat in my cheeks rise from last time. When he kissed my cheek. He had a hint of a smile as I turned quickly away.

Daphnia frowned our way and our behavior but did not ask anything. I was thankful that she wasn't the questioning type.

Break ended without so much of another word and we went back to work before leaving for the night. As I left, I could see mom talking with Calcatrippa. I shook my head and raced the rest of the way, hoping that this idea for bringing my mom into the night meetings was a good idea, but I felt like it wasn't.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you who followed and favorited! Who made my day! I hope you liked this chapter. Sorry if it a bit short, I decided to post today and couldn't think any more to write for this chapter.**

**Review, follow, and favorite! It's just the best feeling to go on my email and seeing that someone else reviewed, followed or favorited this story!**

**-C. C. Capitols**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

"Ready, mom?" I ask her as I tuck my hair behind my hood, slipping my feet into leather boots.

She sighs once as she leaves her hair in front of her face to hide it better. "I suppose so." She says quietly and puts her boots on too.

"It'll be fine." I promise her as dad leans against the doorpost, watching us sadly.

"I wish I didn't have to leave." He says mournfully, he was stationed with Gale to go to the old mountain in District Two where during the revolution the rebels tried to flush everyone out instead of killing them. That's where Haymitch and Verity think the missing Peacekeeper's are taken.

"We'll be fine." Katniss assures him and takes his face in her hands, kissing him lightly. "See you at midnight."

"Last time you said that we started a revolution." He reminded her.

"No, we were chosen to start it, and that was last time. This time is isn't a revolution, it's just a bunch of amateurs wanting recognition from the government." She reminded him as we left.

He watched us sadly as we leave, each in our opposite directions. He was gone with Gale two minutes later in a hovercraft.

}l{

When I enter the abandoned warehouse where the night meetings are held- behind my mom, about ten minutes after her- and conversation all together stopped. Mom was standing on front of Calcatrippa, Nade, and Algal. I sensed something was wrong.

"Betony." Algal said with a sly smile, "Come over here."

I passed Daphnia, unable to meet her eyes, much less the others. I entered their small group, "Yes, what is it?" I ask with a certain authority I've never heard nor seen in myself before.

Mom looked afraid as Calcatrippa watched me carefully. I already knew what she was going to say before she even said it. "There seems to be a mole here, at the night meetings, giving information to the President."

"And so what are we doing here?" Mom asked her carefully.

Nade spoke up, "We think you two are the moles, or maybe one of you." He said the last part pointed to me.

"Then, you'll have to search us, we're clean." Mom stepped up, rising her chin up in defiance.

Algal glanced at Calcatrippa, who nodded in approval to do so. He stepped up to my mom, checking her pockets as she let him. Nade suddenly surged to me, and checked mine too. I was confused until he was whispering in my ear, "Betony, in five seconds I want you to run to the door. Take Juna, Daphnia, and Yapok. I'm right behind you."

I pulled away, looking puzzled, but his eyes said he was serious. I then concluded that Nade was on my side the whole time. "Okay." I say out loud, as Calcatrippa and Algal frowned.

He acknowledged this, "Five!" He shouted and whipped out a gun, a small pistol and shot at the wall above Algal's head.

I took no time, "Mom!" I shout and grab her hand in mine, dragging her to the door while Algal and Calcatrippa was still distracted. I saw people start to duck and I caught a glimpse of Daphnia's dark head. "Daphnia! Run to the door!" She looked confused and stayed where she was. I discarded her and grabbed little Yapok's hand in mine and shoved mom and him out of the door. They were out and running down the alley.

I stopped and waited for Nade. He came running out like a dark large shadow, running beside me swiftly. "You were never here for the night meetings, were you?" He asked me as we ran after my mom and Yapok.

"No."

"You really were the mole the whole time?"

"Yes."

"That clears everything up well, the notebook, how you acted strange, it all makes sense now." He says as he put it all together.

"I'm glad it does." We reach my mom and Yapok at a corner. "Run, keep going!" I say, taking Yapok's hand in mine.

"Where are we going?" Yapok asks me sweetly. The young boy, he doesn't understand why and what's going on.

"Good question, Nade, where are we going?" I ask, checking over shoulder to make sure we are not followed. I could not see anybody, but then again, it was dark.

"The President's house. Yapok's parents put me in charge of him if something like this happened." Nade explained the appearance of the young boy.

I nodded, "Okay. I'll lead to the house." I say, taking Nade's hand in mine. An electric current ran through from his to mine, I ignore the feeling. "I know a good way there, one that they can't follow us by easily." I glance at Yapok, "Are you good at climbing fences, Yapok?"

He nods, "I climb trees."

"Good, grab hands so we won't get lost." I say as mom takes Yapok's hand.

I run ahead of the three to lead them the way. Down the alley, a right for thirty yards, until you get to a house with a pink roof and climb over that fence, and over again the fence from the yard to another, smaller alley. Down that one until you get to the trash can that is always is left there. You turn into that yard, over the fence and go to the far left corner of the house, over the compost box, made of plastic, and onto the main road.

From there, we had to be really careful, they can see us more easily on the open road, but it's only for two hundred meters. You sprint along the sidewalk until you reach a small alley marked by a dying tree. You go into that alley and find a fence marked by the mockingjay pin symbol. Mom stared at it, "It's like the revolution all over again." She mutters as I give her a lift over.

Once we get out of that yard and onto another small alley that leads to the garden of the President's house, Nade comments. "You were the Mockingjay, weren't you? Not Juna, Katniss Everdeen." He turns to me, "If she changed her name, then..."

I sigh, "Yeah, sorry, um. Calla Everdeen Mellark." I introduce myself for the actual time.

He sways, as if he was punched in the gut. "Of course, the resemblance is close enough a blind man can see it."

I nod, "Right, we're almost there, Yapok, you okay?" I ask him, leaning on my knees to look him in the eyes.

He nods, "I'm okay, are we almost there?"

"Yes." I say, grabbing his hand and moms, taking off again. We reach the fence to the garden, when a man jumps out of the shadows, silver of a gun shinning in the light of the moon.

Nade whips out his gun, "Hold your fire!" The man shouted, setting his gun on the ground. "Hold your fire, I won't shoot. No threat." His voice was gravely.

I catch a glimpse of his face and relaxed a bit. "Dominic." I say, pushing Nade's gun down and away from him. "He's Dom." I explain to him.

"What is he doing here?" Nade asks, his grip on the gun no looser, now that he knows who it is.

"He works for me." Verity stepped out of the shadows behind him. Nade's eyebrows shot up, as she smiled at him. I instantly regretted my choice of bringing Nade here. I recall his death sentence of biography. I felt a trap here, either it was Dominic or the President, but I couldn't suspect anything in the dark. "Nade Green." She purrs, and chuckles once. "Or should I say? Nade O'dair Cresta son of the deceased Finnick O'dair and still alive Annie Cresta."

I could see Nade blink in confusion, and mom tighten her grip on Yapok's hand. "What?" He asks carefully, the gears no doubt trying to put the picture together, but he was confused, too confused.

Verity laughs, "Oh, we've waited for you. We've waited for you a long time, many years, until Calla here," She turns to me and smiles so brightly I could see the white of her teeth in the dark. "Gave us the information for finding you." She walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, "She was a really big help, weren't you, Calla?" She asked me innocently.

I was an Avox. Officially, an Avox. There was no way I could answer her, not when she was right. I _did _give her information about Nade, and she took full advantage of that. All I could was look into Nade's eyes and believe me that I didn't do it on purpose, that Verity manipulated me into giving her information, but I knew I would just be lying to myself, she didn't do anything except ask for it and I gave it to her almost willingly.

"Nade," I whisper to him softly, the words barely catching on the breeze that blew them to him. "Please, believe me, I never did it on purpose."

He scoffs rudely, "And I'm supposed to believe that, right? After you lied to me who you were and what your name was and what you were doing the whole time at the night meetings? We both know I would be lying if I believed anything that ever comes out of your mouth again." He drops his gun at his side, putting it away. He turns to Verity. "Go ahead, take me. Your prize."

Verity smiles, "Willingly. Dom." She instructs and he grabs Nade's arm. I watch in horror as he takes Nade into the President's house for some unknown execution I'll no doubt be forced to watch. Somewhere, in a dream, I see my mom leave Yapok's hand and rub my shoulder comfortingly. As Yapok's hand falls to his side, I feel something wet fall down my cheeks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So mean, I know. But I'm wondering if you guys can guess my next move on this story, is Calla going to save Nade or will he die? I'm working on the next chapter, and I don't know how it's gonna end up, he could live or die, either way. Good Lord, I'm so evil, you guys should hate me and plot my death if I kill him. Please don't, I was joking. **

**Review, follow, and favorite!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12****:**

I drift in and out of a haze for several hours, Verity was announcing that Nade was going to be executed in a few minutes. I wait until she leaves and leap up off my bed, running to the basement where it was going to happen. I open the door, glancing at my mom who nodded in agreement. Haymitch was standing nearby, looking uncomfortable with the whole arrangement, but I made him promise and he will hold his promise this time around.

My hand was right up against my side, holding the small knife. Verity smiled at me and I did not return it. She showed her disapproval by frowning obviously and sighed, "Someday, Calla, you'll thank me for this."

"I seriously doubt it." Bile threatening to spill out of my mouth, every nasty word I knew to be thrown at her ready to happen.

Her mouth pinches in distaste and she turns to the executioner, Dominic, and commanded. "You may kill the rebel."

Nade would not meet my eyes which made this the hard part, but I was not going to let him die. As Dominic aimed the gun at the back of his head, I leaped forward, throwing the knife into his shoulder perfectly. "Now!"

Nade watches in amusement as me, mom, and a poorly fit Haymitch fight Verity and knock her unconscious. Mom was holding my knife in my hand, and knocked Dom unconscious too. She broke the ropes around Nade's hand and feet that bound him. She flicked it carefully in my palm. "Go, get out of here. I'm going to get your brother and we are going to your father." She says, "Meet me in the alley, go there by feet so it'll be hard to catch you two. There'll be a car waiting."

I nod once, "Okay, come on Nade." I take him by the arm, and we run.

"Why are you doing this?" Nade questions me as we run.

"Because, Nade, I don't want you to be dead. I care about you, and..." The thought came up and it was near impossible to push it out of my mind.

"And...?"

I stop running, and look him hard in the eyes. "And..." But I still couldn't say it. The silly fantasies and thoughts that snuck into my head and I refused to have them there, but they thought otherwise.

"And what? What is it, Calla? What do you want to say?" He asks me, confusion clear on his face.

"I think I may like you." I whisper softly, my voice quieter than the mockingjay in the garden, the moon bright and casting shadows.

He doesn't move, barely flinches, "Is that so?" He asks carefully, his voice as low as when we first met.

I nod, "Yes."

"Interesting, let's go." He says in mild interest and we keep going. I wonder what I did wrong as we run off the paths and hop over the fences to the alley where mom said the car will be waiting. Mom wasn't lying, we get inside the car and Phylum looks at me.

"Are you okay, Calla?" He asks me in childish worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I glance at Nade, who sits next to me, and meets my look head on. We look at each other for a few seconds and I look away first in embarrassment.

Haymitch was at the wheel, and he pressed on the accelerator, just as the gunshots hit the windows. "Everybody down!" He yelled over the roar and nearly crashed into a wall.

"Whose shooting?" I shout to my mom and Haymitch.

"Who else? Verity." Mom says obviously and reaches for a gun, giving it to me. I stare at it, and she commands. "Shoot back!" I crack the window open a few inches and shoot at the black spots above the roofs where Verity and her guards were shooting us at. I aim and shoot, not trying to care if each person cried out in pain or fell from the roof in a sickening crunch that grabbed my gut each time.

Nade took the gun from me, "Let me." He whispered and shot for me.

I reluctantly let him, relieved of the burden. He shot with perfect precision and accuracy. He was a solider, unsure of it. We finally got out of the alley, but that was where on the main road our tire was shot at and it blew out.

Haymitch cursed and swerved crazily to the left, away from the guards and hit a pink fence with a shrill bang. "Out, everyone out, go to the alley, here, Phylum, take this." He handed Phylum a gun, who took it with large eyes in fear.

Nade opened the door and ran behind the corner, shooting back. "Out, Calla!" He shouted to me and I raced out, making it without a bullet in me but still afraid. Mom came out with Phylum right behind her, shooting back too. Haymitch came out last, cursing and pushed us deeper into the alley, towards the outer end of the city.

As we ran, they advanced on us, and I could hear Haymitch curse once again. "I've been shot." He informed us, holding his forearm tightly.

Mom stripped herself of her scarf and tied it tightly with it. "We'll get you fixed you up in a moment, once we get out of the city." She assures him.

"No point, I'm good as dead if I get out there without any medicine." He tells, "I'll surrender, you four keep going."

"No way, Haymitch, we stick together." Phylum tells him and takes his hand in his.

Haymitch looks at it with wide eyes and smiled. "Alright, buddy, let's keep going."

We pushed on, we were loosing fight and Haymitch kept getting weaker and weaker. He stumbled many times, and one time he stumbled and fell and didn't get up and let go of Phylum's hand. "Haymitch, let's go." He said, taking his hand and tugged it hard.

Haymitch did not respond and that was the first time I heard my mom curse in my entire life. "Haymitch Abernathy, you won't go by a bullet hole in your forearm." She takes him by the shoulders, and shakes her head. "Nade, come help me." Nade stops and turns to look at her. He tried to help, but even the two of them couldn't carry him out. He was simply too heavy. Mom sighs and assess the damage done and outcome and escape plan. She mutters something like, "No use." And turns to me swiftly, giving me her gun. "Here you go, Calla. Protect your brother. And promise me one thing."

I swallowed, promises can be hard to keep. "Sure, what is it?"

"Come out of here alive." As the swarm of guards overwhelmed us, she pushed me, Nade, and Phylum toward the way to out of the city. "Find your father and Gale. Come back for us once you do."

I watch in horror as Nade drags me away from my mom who refused to leave Haymitch's side and surrendered herself to Verity.

I knew there was no way she was coming out of this alive. Much less me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Review, follow, and favorite!**

**-C. C. Capitols**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

We race through the forest, branches smacking us in the face as we ran. We could not hear any of the guards pursuing us, but that did not mean we could just stop running.

"How far?" Phylum panted next to me.

"I don't know, until we get to the Nut." I tell him.

"And how long will that take?" Nade asks me.

"I don't know that either." I confess, cringing.

"So, what? We keep running until we get to the Nut?" Nade questioned me further, no doubt still not trusting me.

"I guess."

}l{

We ran to the outer skirts of the Capitol, where no one lived and stumbled upon a large road. Must be the one that connected every District to the Capitol. I had no idea that it actually existed, I always guessed that it was a silly myth to tell the kids. I guess not though, if we are looking at it with our own very eyes.

"Incredible." Phylum breathed out.

"What is?" Nade asked him questionably.

"This road, it connects the Capitol with every District, which means we can get to Two if we follow this road." Phylum told him, and looked both ways to see which way we needed to go. "Up, we need to go straight north, we should hit it there in a couple of days if we maintain a relatively fast pace."

Nade gave me a questioning look, "Phylum is kinda of a genius." I explain to him, at his raised eyebrow.

"Okay, then let's go straight north, like you said, Phylum." He said, setting off at a quick pace of walking.

We followed him and walked under the light of the moon. The land did have some coverage, but not much. We walked many hours, as we watched the moon rise and fall in the sky. It was not until we heard a car engine come our way, that Nade cursed.

"Get in the bushes!" He hissed to us and we followed his command.

The light shone over us, the bushes thick enough to conceal us. I held my breath as it drove by. Nade peeked over the top, and I could see him bite his lip in apprehension. I too, peeked between the leaves and caught a glimpse of guards with guns, looking out into the wilderness beyond.

They drove by and just as we stood up, another truckload of guards came up. We ducked once more and each time, as we tried to stand, they would come around the bend. "What if we just stayed here for the night?" Phylum whispered to us.

Nade glanced at me in question and I shrugged in answer. "Sure, sounds better than getting caught by Verity's guards." Nade whispered to us, "I'll take the first watch."

"I don't think I will be able to fall asleep." Phylum commented quietly as five trucks had already passed by.

I silently agreed with my younger brother in my head, but didn't dare say it out loud. I tried to sleep, but sleep was futile, with so many of the trucks had passed, that when it was my time to take watch, Nade told me he counted forty seven.

A couple more passed by as I watched for them, but already the sun was starting to rise and the sky was starting to turn pink. I waited until my kneecaps felt like they were going to fall off and poked Nade on the shoulder, who fell asleep at some point in the night. Phylum fell asleep too, rocking slightly on the balls of his feet.

Nade jerked up and looked around himself to get his bearings. He took a few minutes for himself before looking at me. He was staring at me intently that as I was about to ask him what was wrong, he whispered to me, "Calla Everdeen Mellark."

"Yeah..." I must have looked confused because he smiled and shook his head.

"No, it's just...I never thought you were the daughter of the legendary Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. It's strange knowing that."

"Yup, well that's me." I whisper, almost awkwardly, I imagine.

"Yeah." His lips barely moved and I suddenly realized how close we were sitting next to each other. I could put my hand out and wrap it around him if I wanted to. But not that that I wanted to, of course. He was looking into my eyes and he glanced down to my lips. He looked as if he was fighting with himself.

It was so quiet between us, that we could hear Phylum snore softly next to Nade. "Nade?" I whispered to him quietly.

"Yes, Calla?" He asked me, his eyes back to my lips.

I could feel something pull us toward each other, and he was slowly bending closer to me. Our lips were mere inches apart from each other, when Phylum gave a quiet snort and woke up.

We jumped back from each other, tense as a nervous horse. Nade's face looked red, and I knew mine was even redder too.

"What's the plan?" Phylum asked us, oblivious to what we were just about to do before he broke the moment. It was a time that I thankful for his obliviousness.

"I-uh, er..." I glance at Nade, who was still a little red. "Nade?"

"Huh?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"What do we do next?" Me and Phylum asked at the same time.

He moved from his neck to his thigh and gave a shrug after moments of thought. "Let's wait half an hour, so the sun will be up and try going on."

We both agreed and waited and I realized with a pang of worry, we had no food or water, and our journey will take a couple of days if we can keep up the pace, but with the guards on the road, things were looking down from my perspective. No other cars had passed by for over two hours and we set off, checking over our shoulder constantly and listening carefully for quiet engines and hovercrafts.

The sun was high up in the sky when we heard the sound of engines coming from the Capitol. We had long ago moved from dense vegetation to barren land, strange red rock, formed after many years of the wind and earth. Nade cursed and looked around us desperately to look for shelter. I saw a strange cave-like structure, off the road, not too far away.

"Over there, to the cave!" I shouted, and took off, the other two following closely.

"Good eye!" Phylum praised me.

My chest swelled and I raced through the rocks that tripped us, we had a few seconds until the cars were in view and could see us. "Hurry up!" I shout to them as I reached the cave and turned around to face them.

Nade came in a second later, but Phylum was lagging behind. "Phylum!"

He tripped over a rock, and I could see the truck drive up on the road, guards searching for us. I made a dash for him and dragged him back to the cave as gunfire exploded near me. "Run!" I yell between clenched teeth, shoving him to the dark opening. Nade grabbed him roughly by the arm, shot back twice at the truck and made sure I was behind them. We raced into the dark cave, blind as bats in the dark cave. "We're dead." I said, pausing at the steep hill down.

"No, we're not. This isn't a cave. It's an old tunnel, back in the day, they held water in here. There might be an opening somewhere, we just have to follow it." Nade told me.

I could hear scuffling and I think that Nade let go of my brother. "Okay, but how can we see anything? We could fall into a pit and never know it."

I swear I can hear the grin in Nade's voice. "That's why I have these." A flick. A spark. And a small flame burned in the dark, a candle lit up and led the way down.

I could see the walls, rough and spikes on the roof, that looked like they could fall us and kill us easily. Phylum licked his lips in glee, "Can I have one?" He asked Nade.

"No, we need to conserve them. Sorry, but we need to move." Nade pointed to the opening. Fifty feet away, the truck was driving closer.

I cursed, sure my parents would be horrified at my language, but I didn't care. "Move." I ordered and we swiftly moved down.

A couple minutes in, Phylum broke the silence. "It may help if we step on the larger rocks so our prints aren't left behind."

We did as he said, and found his words to be true. We could hear shouting above us, from the opening, and loud footsteps, like a hundred soldiers marching towards us. "Run!" I said, and we did, just as we turned around the bend, to face a fork in the tunnel.

"Which way?" Phylum asked us, shifting his feet in worry, glancing behind us every moment.

"I don't know." Nade confessed, sounding defeated. I glanced behind us, and I decided on raw instinct instead of actual thought. I grabbed Nade's candle from him, ran in the middle one twenty feet in, set it down on the ground and ran back to them.

"That gives them only two options, and it saves us a little bit of time." I say.

"Right." Phylum orders after a moment of deep thought and we follow him in the right tunnel.

As we run and stumble as quietly as we can, we could hear the guards behind us run in the middle tunnel, growl in frustration when no one was there and run back, dividing the group into two and run in.

Flashlights behind us danced on the walls and I could hear the steady beating of my heart in the fear that we were going to die here in these tunnels and never see the light again.

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><p><strong>AN: Alrighty, I'm on time and this is a good, _slightly_ longer chapter. Thank you 0121ama for following and favoriting! You boosted up my confidence in this story, seeing how well it is going. **

**Please review, follow, and favorite!**

**By the way: Who saw Mockingjay Part One yet? I saw it and I won't give any spoilers for the people who haven't seen yet other than that it was _AMAZING! _One, I seriously recommend that you see it. Two, it was very good!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Fear pumped through us, probably the only real reason we were running, apart from not wanting to be shot. I could hear our breathing and the loud footsteps of our assailants. The sheer darkness of the tunnels was terrifying and we constantly tripped over rocks and bumps in the ground.

We were running when my arm clipped the side of the wall as it slowly turned right, and I immediately felt pain. I put my other hand on my forearm and felt the warm feeling and blood. I slowed down and whispered loudly to the other two. "Nade, Phylum, I think I'm bleeding."

Their footsteps slow down and I can feel a tall body, and I knew it was Nade. "Where?" He asked, pausing hesitantly at my side.

"Forearm." I whisper to him and stick it blindly at him.

He feels for it, his hand running down my arm, sending a wave of chills down my spine. How nice his touch felt. "You are bleeding, and I think pretty heavily, it's practically pooling in my hand." Something wet falls on the ground and I had a bad feeling it was my blood. The pain was horrible, and throbbed like it was alive. "Here, lemme try and tie it up, hold still." I could hear him pull at his clothes and heard a rip. Seconds later, my arm was tied up tightly. "Try not to swing it too much, okay?"

"Okay." I whisper and we keep running, but Phylum ahead of us grunted as he smacked into something. "Phylum?" I ask.

"I'm okay, just the wall. It moved right in front of me. Nade, we need a candle, we're blind down here." He says as we carefully turn to the left and jog forward.

"Not yet, we have to get farther ahead of them to use one." Nade says and we keep moving.

The guards behind us were well away, but we could still hear them. As we ran, I was aware of a small light in the dark. "Am I-are we, is that a light up ahead?" I ask them, slowing even more down.

Nade pauses at my side, "I do believe that is the sun." We take off at a fast run, within moments in the bright sunlight and a ravine under our feet. A river rolled in between the sides of the walls.

"Whoa..." Phylum whispered in awe at the sight.

Behind us, the guards were shouting at the sight of the light in front of us. "Run!" We scrambled over the gushing river, that moved at incredible speeds, swirling and tumbling down, down. Phylum ran in front of us, Nade pushing him carefully along the top. I slipped at the millions of loose rocks that tumbled down into the river. Nade grabbed my arm and roughly pushed me back up.

"You okay?" He questions me, his eyes boring into mine.

"Yeah." I assure him and we move on.

Shouts came from behind us, and gunfire spewed around us, the smell of gunpowder heavy in the air. I coughed to get it out of my lungs and we ran around the bend, the guards right on our heels. Phylum stumbled over his own feet, but Nade righted him. I ran by a small opening, leading up to the top of the canyons. "Up here!" I shout to them and race up, clinging to the slippery sides of the walls with my fingers.

The scrambling sound of feet behind me was enough to say that Nade and Phylum were close behind. I reached the top, rising above the canyons and looked around myself. There was a small trail that led back to the main road, but we had to lose these guards, even if it meant going back in the canyons.

The red color of the rock underneath our feet were contrasting to our dark clothes, which meant we were easy targets. "Which way now?" I ask them as they reach me.

They looked around themselves, "Not on the road, they can get us easily. Let's go on the top of the canyons, skirting the edges and next to the road to lead the way to Two." Phylum says, and races on the top of the rock.

"Phylum, be careful. The rock is slippery." I warn him, and follow him closely.

We skirt the edges, the guards looking for us in haste, splitting more and more into smaller groups to find us. The other group apparently fell into a chasm that they didn't see in the tunnel, the one man that was in the back saw all of the others fall in and he had enough time to stop. We overheard this as he raced to join the others to find us.

Nade moved like a cat on the rocks, leaping over boulders the size of Gale and shot at a couple of the guards, getting three of the sixteen originally. Which meant we only had six guards on our tails.

He tossed another gun he had with him to me, as Phylum crouched next to him. I aimed carefully at a guard, trying to get a good view on him, and shot, clipping him right in the gut. He fell over and crashed into the gushing river below. Now we only had five guards left.

The two in front of us jumped up and turned to the sound, and desperately tried to find us. For once, I was glad about my genetic information from my mom's shortness. We waited until they turned their backs on us. I found shooting a gun rather like a bow, except pulling a trigger instead of an arrow.

Nade shot one of the two in the back, and he fell into the water too. His associate jumped up, and Phylum screamed loudly, scaring him and he tumbled down the rocky slope to the rushing rapids below.

The last three eyed each other before radioing for back up. That was where we made our move to finish them off. It was like picking at a pinecone, until the seed was the last thing left. We waited until they were all together, talking amongst themselves, checking over their shoulders every moment. We combined our man power, me and Nade shooting at two of them, and Phylum screaming like a mountain lion to scare them into the water below.

They all fell, Nade's guard dead before he even hit the ground, mine screaming in pain as she gripped her shoulder, clutching the top and refusing to fall. Phylum's fell and I saw a leg dangling from the rocks pointing up. I didn't want to look for the rest of the body.

I walked to woman, her grey eyes meeting me when she recognized me. I bent over her, holding my gun out in a intimidating way. She squirmed to get away, but I gripped her wounded shoulder. "Tell your back up, that it's over, or else your pitiful life is over." I command her sternly.

She doesn't even bother to not listen to me. "Commander Derrick, this is General Sadra Panluck. Call off back up, I repeat, call off all designated back up. Five Six, over."

The static crackled with life, _"Five Six, over, General. Calling off all designated back up." _

I smiled at her, "Good. This is my gift to you." I left her there, but took her gun, her radio, and the other gun off her colleague. I threw the radio into the river in case she decided to get smart with me and try and bring back up back. We went back to the main road, walking to District Two.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Six days, I'm still updating on time. Yes, yes I am. I hope you guys had a good thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday shopping spree, (that is...if you do it.)!**

**Review, follow, and favorite!**

**By the way, I officially have an outline for this story, at first I didn't and I was breezing the first thirteen chapters. Horribleness, don't do that. So, I know how this story if going to end, (ending wise)...and I think it is a good one. I'm going to need lots of reviews to tell me how my story is going because I'm always in the dark and I feel like very few review, but the people that do, just for you to know, you really do make my day so much better and I'm so grateful that you review!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

We were walking along the road when a jeep came up behind us. "Hey, you three!" A woman shouts to us, leaning out of the window, peering at us in curiosity.

I turn to face her, and notice she was holding a gun. I eye her, putting my hand on the hilt of the barrel. "Yeah?"

The jeep stops and she came out. Nade stood next to me, ready to shoot if she showed signs of being a threat to us. "What do you think you're doing? Verity got trucks of her guards parading up and down this road, hunting for you three." She studies us and our condition. "Get in the jeep." She jerks a thumb over her shoulder and slid back into the passenger seat.

We share looks and got in, unsure why we trusted her but perhaps because she seemed oddly familiar to me for some reason, I just couldn't put a finger on her face. I was squished between Nade and Phylum, both of them on my two sides. "Who are you?" I ask her, leaning closer to speak better with her. The driver didn't say anything, but just kept driving.

She grins, her teeth strangely clean as most had bad teeth in the districts, despite the better living conditions since the rebellion. "Depends. Sometimes I go by Betonica, sometimes Sallie, and sometimes Feng."

I recognized her, she was the woman with the many names. Each time she moved a district, she changed he identity. She was a myth in Twelve, seemingly that she never went there. Officials found her a pain in the behind. I found her fascinating. "You're Helia." I conclude in awe.

She grins, "Ooh, I haven't gone by Helia in years." She says, scratching her head in deep thought. Her long gnarly fingers twisting her stringy hair in thoughtful circles. She grins wider and turns to face us. "But, yes. I am Helia. Helia Dradake." She held a hand out for a shake.

I shook it, "Hello, Helia Dradake. I'm Calla Everdeen Mellark." I introduce myself to her, though I suspected that she knew that already.

Apparently she didn't. Helia whistled in approval. "Everdeen Mellark? Noo…you can't be." I grin wide at her words. "You cannot be the daughter of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I am. And he's my brother, Phylum Everdeen Mellark." I point to Phylum next to me, who watched the whole conversation without an interruption, thankfully.

Her jaw drops, "Well, makes me look like an amateur." She comments in awe.

"If it makes this anymore crazy, I'm Nade O'dair Cresta." Nade piped in.

We all turn to look at him in surprise. "Young man, that's a good name to hold onto." Helia dipped her head in respect to Nade. "I knew your father…before he died. Many long years before he died."

Nade smiled in thankfulness, "Thank you, many people view him more as a menace than a hero."

Helia nodded in understanding, "I know, but he tried to help, and died trying."

The whole time we were speaking, we were driving. "So, where are we going?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"To District Two, and by the looks of you three, you were heading there to your father, am I right?" Helia asks us with a raised eyebrow at our weapons.

"Not going to deny it." I say, holding my hands up in mock surrender.

She smiles, "Well, we have a couple of hours, so, hold tight. Take a nap or something, it won't be until we get to the security checkpoint that we need to hide you."

We share looks and eye our seats, and make ourselves comfortable to sleep. Sleep was easy, and within moments, I was asleep with my head on Nade's shoulder.

}l{

I was woken up by Nade later. We were approaching a security checkpoint, when Helia handed us some burlap bags to put over us. "Put this over your heads, it should cover you well. Me and Quin will deal with the guards." We obeyed, and squished inside the dusty bags. She took some herbs and put them on the top, seeming that we were bags of herbs, instead of people. She poked and prodded us to make us stick out less.

"Evening, ma'am." A security guard's voice came from outside. We slowed to a stop.

"Evening." Helia greeted him sweetly.

"Delivering…?"

"Herbs for the hospital. My mom works as a nurse, and they needed a larger supply so she called me in." Helia says easily.

I peeked in between the holes, seeing the whole thing. The guard nodded, "Yes, we do have a shipment of herbs here on the list, but I need to still check the bags."

"Of course, here, let me help you to open the trunk." She unbuckled herself and showed the trunk, and moved to us, showing a little of the top of our bags to get approval to be allowed in.

He nodded, "Looks good, you two can go on in." They opened the gate, and we drove past. As we passed, Helia muttered, "Don't open the tops yet, not until we get to the hospital, there I will let you guys go on your way."

"Yes, ma'am." Phylum said the same way the security guard had greeted Helia.

We all giggled, even Quin managed a smile. "Quin?" His intelligent brown eyes looked up to my bag. "You're a wanted criminal, aren't you?"

He smiled, "Smart girl, you are Calla Everdeen Mellark." He turned the wheel to the right and parked right in front of the hospital. "Hold on a moment, let us take the bags from the back out and let you guys loose at the same time as we take them in."

We all mumbled our okay's and waited for them to take the bags out, before they freed us. "A relief." Nade muttered to himself as he shook himself free of the herbs.

We stepped out, and looked around. "How do we find our dad?" Phylum asks Helia and Quin as they take the bags and start to make their way to the hospital.

"Try the Hall." Quin says, disappearing into the hospital.

We share looks, and leave, sure to be back to thank the two properly. We walk along the cracked streets, our footsteps make empty sounds on the empty streets. "Where is everybody?" Phylum asks us out of the corner of his mouth, eyeing the dark houses on our sides.

"Good question, work?" I try, studying for life on the streets and houses, but it seemed as if we were the only ones left in the world.

"No, I think they are waiting for something. Something bad." Nade comments, his blue eyes watching with a certain curiosity that I only see in some people.

We walk to a building, a sign in the front saying: **The Hall. **"Looks like we found the Hall." I say and we walk up the steps, pull open the door and burst open to fifty buff men staring at us.

"Uh…" I say obviously, glancing at everyone tensely. "Uh, sorry to interrupt, I'm looking for Peeta Mellark."

"Calla?" Peeta asks from the middle of the large group of men. They were all drinking something in cups and sitting around at tables. "Sorry men, my daughter." He apologizes to them, and they eyed us, continuing their conversations. "Calla, Phylum, what are you two doing here?"

"Dad, it's mom, and Haymitch. They were taken by Verity and her guards, dad…she might kill them." I whisper to him. "We had to run and get you."

"You guys came all the way from the Capitol?" He asks in an incredulous tone. When he saw our confirming nod, he shook his head in wonder. "Okay, so we get ready to leave. But, how'd you get here?"

"We walked a little of it and hitch-hiked with Helia Dradake." I tell him.

"The woman who changes her identity?"

"Yup." I confirm.

The door opens and Helia and Quin walk in, slipping in between men and reach us. "Hello, Helia Dradake." She introduces herself with a handshake to my father.

"Peeta Mellark." He introduces back.

Helia smiles and pockets her hands in her jacket. "Someone said there is supposed to be an announcement?"

"Yeah, it's supposed to start any minute now." Peeta says, and Gale walks over.

"Calla, Phylum?"

"Hi." We both say at the same time.

At that moment, the TV in the far corner crackled to life. _"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am President Verity and I have an announcement."_ Verity says on the screen. She pauses before she continues and smiles evilly._ "Katniss Everdeen and Haymitch Abernathy are going to be executed two days in time."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey! Another chapter! And I'm right on time! **

**Please, review, follow, and favorite you wonderfully fantastic people!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

I was frozen in place. My ears turned numb and my whole body couldn't move. The words of the President bounced around in my head over and over. I barely caught anything else from the rest of her speech. But one thing stayed for sure. My mom was going to be executed. But there was no way I was going to let that happen. I was going to save her and Haymitch, with my brother, Nade, Gale, my father, and Helia.

_"They were found guilty of defying our nation, and will pay. Therefor, they are going to be executed two days in time." _Verity continued, and finished on a strong note. _"The execution will be aired live for all of the nation to see." _She paused and gave a smile into the camera, _"Thank you." _She walked away from the camera, and the theme song played before shutting off by itself. Just as it was turned on. I knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to get my attention.

Well, she certainly succeeded, I'll give her that. "Dad, she's gonna kill mom and Haymitch." I say, grabbing his arm to get his attention.

His blue eyes looked distant, like he was in a dream. "Yes, I know. She will." He turns to me, and brought both hands to my face, cupping it and kissing the top of my head firmly. "But she won't because we are gonna save them."

I smile, "That's what I was thinking."

He smiles back at me, "That's my girl." He lets go of me and turns to my brother, clapping his shoulder. "Right, kids. Let's go, we're gonna save your mom. Gale, you don't have to come-"

Gale shook his head and stepped up to him. "She's still my friend. Of course I have to come and help."

Peeta nodded, "Very well," he looks at Nade uncomfortably. "Nade, you really don't need to come, you can stay here, it'll be safer." His words rang with honesty, but I knew Nade would help.

"No, thank you sir. I'll come too. I can be of some help." Nade told him, holding up his hands as if to prove his point.

Helia stepped up, "And I will too. I know some people who get us in the city undetected and they have the right technology to do this the right way."

"Helia, I thank you for bringing my kids here safe, but really, this is a family thing." Peeta tried to convince her, which wasn't going very well.

She shook her head in denial, "Peeta, trust me, if you five go in there, barging in like a horde of elephants, Verity will just shoot Katniss as it is. This much I know, and this much I can tell you. We go in underground, bring up the force at the House, and get them out. I can promise this much. Besides, it's not everyday I can say I saved Katniss from execution at the hand of President Verity." Helia gave a crooked smile, putting a hand on her hip in a sassy way.

Dad looked very uncomfortable, the total fact that he didn't want extra help indicated that he was very desperate to save mom. But he will take the help because he knew that if I trusted her enough to get in a car with her, then he should too. "Very well. Take whatever you need, you guys. I will meet you out in front of the Hall in ten minutes." He tugged me and Phylum away from them. He led us deeper in, and into a room. Clothes and toiletries sprawled over the floor, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. It smelled like something died in here.

He paced back and forth, between the twin bunk beds and desk. "Do you two trust any of these people? Even Gale?" He asks us, looking us carefully in the eyes.

Me and Phylum shared uneasy looks, "Uh," Phylum pauses painfully long. I knew he didn't. But did I?

"Yes." I blurt out. My father and my brother turn to look at me in surprise. "I do." I say, dad giving me an interested look. "I mean, Gale, sure, he killed Prim, but that was years ago and he's trying to make things better now. I trust Nade because he has saved my life multiple times and I owe him. Helia, well, yes because she knows what she's doing."

Dad nods, "Okay, so Calla trusts them. What about you, Phylum?"

Phylum shifts his feet, "I suppose. Like Calla said, Gale, he's trying to make things better things now. Nade's saved my life too. Helia, she really can help us."

My brother was much younger than me, but he spoke smartly like he knew what he was talking about. Dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair. I noticed the gray strands in his blonde hair. It hit me that my father was aging, and was getting older by the day. "Okay then, let's go and save your mom."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry guys, I'm only a day late, but everything is getting hectic around the last week of the semester, considering it's final's week. Ugh, sorry it's short, I'll post either Friday or Saturday, seeing how things go. **

**Thank you all who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Made me so happy to see a review in my email inbox! **

**On that final note, review, follow, and favorite!**

**-C.C. Capitols**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

We entered the city with Helia and two others she called in. Avence and Avens, twin brothers. I ran swiftly next to Nade, who was carrying a long machine gun, and looked absolutely amazing. Okay, I confess, I dream about our almost-kiss, wondering what would've happened if Phylum hadn't interrupted our moment and if we actually kissed. Would be acting any different then? Right now, we were acting strange to one another, and awkward, barely meeting the eye when talking to each other.

"Peeta, you'll take Gale and Avence. Calla, you'll go with Nade. Phylum, stick with me, Quin, and Avens. That's our strategy, surprise, and as much as we can get inside the system before they recover from the shock." Helia ordered, loading her gun with bullets with a ferocious look.

We all nodded and got into our groups, making our entrance through the three main roads entering the city. This was practically a suicide mission, since taking my mom and Haymitch unnoticed was completely impossible. Our footsteps were quiet on the cobblestone road, our guns clicking annoyingly as we ran. We approached a corner, and saw a guard. "I'll take him." Nade whispered to me and shot him in the back. He fell over without a sound. He never knew what hit him.

"Let's keep moving." I say quietly and we made our way deeper into the Capitol. We heard the footsteps before we saw the guards.

"Behind here." I hiss as we roll behind a dumpster unseen by them. We breathed quietly, and I swear, Nade could hear my heartbeat. "How are we gonna do this?" I ask him as they approach us even more.

He thinks, "You go low, I'll go high." He says after a few precious moments.

We nod to confirm it and wait, "On three." I whisper, "One."

"Two."

"Three."

We both spring up and shoot at the same time. It felt good, being with him, we really did make a good team together. I rolled and slammed against the wall and hid behind it, taking shots, trying to aim at guards. Nade stayed behind the dumpster, covering me just in case.

They advanced on us. "Nade, we need a different strategy!" I shout over the noise of the gunshots.

He pauses, "Fall back!" He waits until I start to run, that he runs behind me. We manage to get behind the other corner, before they advanced on us.

"We need to skirt the edges." I tell him, holding my arm in pain.

He nods and we move to another road. At District Two, I got my arm fixed up at the hospital, before we came here, and despite the pain medication I took, it still hurt.

We run down that road, only to be confronted by another group of guards. "Back, back!" Nade grabs my arm and pulls me the other way. I follow like an obedient dog.

It was not until we got to the fork, that we both groan in frustration. "We're surrounded." I mutter, gripping my gun tightly in my hand.

"Yeah, we are." He agrees with me. He looks at both of the roads and the ascending groups of guards. Neither looked like an easy job to get rid of. He then looks like he made a decision, because the next thing I know, he walks to me in two strides, and cups my face in his hands. I barely register his lips on mine.

It was quick, more like a quick peck, but a bit longer. He pulls away, and I'm still in shock. He looks down at me and strokes my cheek with his thumb. "I had to do that. At least once." And then he's gone, fighting the guards while leaving me there alone, with another group coming at me.

I snap out of it, and shoot at the guards, running towards a large dumpster and a low house. I leap onto it, and scale over the gutter onto the roof. I race across the roof, gunshots being fired at me from below, but I feel like I'm flying.

I shoot at the group, and as I jump from the roof and confront the last two, I realize that I finished them off. I could not radio my team, for fear that Verity could hack into our systems and find us. So I keep running, towards the President's house, alone and without Nade.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the long wait! I'm going to upload the next chapter probably tomorrow or Wednesday to make it up for the late notice. Thank you sooo much those people who reviewed! You have made me so incredibly happy reading it that you have no idea how happy you've made me.**

**Continue to review, follow, and favorite guys!**

**-C. C. Capitols**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

I keep running to the President's house, shooting at guards as I go. Twice, I was forced to enter a resident's house.

The first time the guards came from behind a fence. I was caught off guard and ran into a home. The couple inside screamed as men in black came tearing after me. I shot all of them and knocked the couple unconscious on their couch. Just as I turn around to leave, the television crackled and Verity appeared on the screen:

_"Citizens, I assure you, the trouble with the rebels will be put down before the night is over. Please, cooperate and be silent. My finest guards are out there on the streets tonight, fighting and hunting them down. This should be over soon and the execution shall go as planned."_

Her face shut off and the TV went back to the soap opera that the couple were watching before I interrupted them. I left through the back door and jumped over fences.

The second time they came at me and one slammed me against a door. I wrestled with him for his gun as the others waiting for an opportunity to shoot me. He tried to grab my gun from me but I opened the unlocked front door and we both tumbled down. They tried to shoot me, but I used him as a shield. They shot at me, but they instead shot him. When they stopped shooting, thinking that I must've died, I shot back at them, killing them all quickly, catching them completely off guard.

The family of five were whimpering under their kitchen table, peeking at me in fear. I debated on whether or not I should take care of them, but looking at the three young kids made me not touch them. "Don't you dare say I was here." I warned them and ran upstairs, going onto the roof through the bathroom window.

Squatting on the roof, I got a bird's eye view on the city that I needed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. I looked in the general direction of the movement I saw. It took many seconds to see what it was. A metal eye focused on me. _Cameras! _I think in my head. I don't even think about it, I just shoot. The bullet penetrated deep in the camera and electricity sparked. I was sure I broke the connection.

I raced across the roof, putting the missing pieces together. No wonder the guards were able to find me so easily, they have cameras trained on me all over the city. I locate another camera and shoot at that one too. As I run across roofs, I find it much easier to locate cameras above them versus on the ground.

I leap over a gap that separated two houses. My feet caught the stone and I clambered up, scaling the house roof. I reach the top only to face the plaza, and right behind it was the President's house. I take a deep breath and carefully leap down onto a large metal dumpster, and down to ground level from there. My footsteps make quick, padded sounds as I run across the plaza.

My gun was trailing my footsteps and I constantly looked for any new threats. I reached the other side just as the first round of bullets spun around me. I cursed as one clipped my leg. I pawed at it and checked to make sure it didn't lodge itself in my leg. I was lucky, it barely hit me, just taking a couple centimeters of my skin with itself.

I was still bleeding and ripped an inch of jacket I was wearing and tied it up. I waited until the rounds paused and shot back at the group, of about six. I got two and leaned back against the rough brick wall that separated me with them. I waited until they got a little closer and shot again, just a woman's voice echoed across the plaza:

"Stop shooting, both sides!"

I recognized the voice as Verity's. Of course it was her, her house was right there, and here I was, shooting her guards in her front yard. "You don't need to tell me anything, Verity!" I shouted at the direction the voice from, the speakers on top of the street lights in the plaza.

She chuckled, "Easy for you to say. You know, Calla, you and your mom are very similar. She was a rebel, and so are you."

"Verity, give me my mom." I tell her sternly and I could hear the guards retreating. I checked over the wall to see them skitter the other way. This doesn't feel right to me, "Where are your guards going?"

"Nowhere, just to me." She pauses, and I can literally hear her breathe in the speaker. "Come into the house, I won't shoot you. I just want to talk to you. I promise. And besides, there's something I need to show you, or perhaps, someone."

I pause myself, I know it is a trap, and even if she says she won't shoot me, I know there is the possibility that she's lying, but still, she said she had someone to show to me, and I wonder if it's my mom. I do not put my gun away, and I keep an eye for any other threats as I make my way to the house, walking up the steps, counting them. Twenty-five steps leading to President's house.

I was about open the door, when it opened on its own. I grit my teeth from stopping myself from running away because this smelled like a trap, like a trap, like a messy trap. I walk to the one place where I knew she was, her office. The house was empty of people, since she usually had a maid and cleaners and chefs and bakers, but there was no usual hustle and bustle in the house.

I open the office door, and she's sitting there in her office chair, reading a book and eating a simple cookie frosted with icing. I feel like I'm the intruder, not her. I enter quietly, my gun at my side, and my eyes watching her warily. She looks up and smiles, "Ah, Calla. Please, sit down." She points to the one chair that sat in front of the desk.

I comply to her wish, and sit down in the chair. I do not say a word as she finishes her cookie in simple fashion and sets the book off to the side so it won't interrupt our conversation. She looks at me and smiles again, "I'm glad you came. I almost didn't think you wouldn't come." She tells me as she laces her fingers together. I still do not speak. She studies me and continues, "You know, Calla. When I woke up in the middle of the night and found a cup shattered on my office floor, I almost didn't think of you, until you ran from me. So, I thought, it must've been you." Verity looks at me like she was disappointed as I don't say a word. "Calla, I'm trying to bring the Capitol back." She tells me.

"I thought this is the Capitol." I say, surprising myself that my voice sounds strong.

She chuckles at me as if I was a child who needed explaining, "No, Calla, I want to bring back the Capitol system back." She leans back and waits to see how this will settle in for me.

I let it settle in for me and see nothing but death all over again. "Why do you want to bring back the Capitol system?" I ask her in confusion.

She smiles as if I was walking on ice, "I want the power to rule, just as President Snow once did."

"But President Snow is dead. He died many years ago. Why do you want to be like him? What, you want to die too?" I ask her sarcastically.

She laughs at my charisma, "No, I don't want to die, I just want to rule, but not with equal power with a bunch of idiots, I want to rule as a single ruler. They call it a autocracy."

Autocracy was a word I was not familiar with, but I guess it is an old word. "So you want all of the power for yourself?" She nods, as if I was just getting it. "Then what do the night meetings have to do with this?"

She pursues her lips in distaste, "They were…defying me and my want for absolute power. They believed that I was wrong and that we needed a government where there was appointed officials who held equal power for the people and they had the power to get rid of the President if they were not satisfied with my rule." She leans back and places her hands together, "It's a system that is meant to satisfy the people who want equal rights for all. And they just wanted to expand that right to the younger citizens."

I could see their reason for wanting to keep the equal rights and fighting Verity, but one thing was still a mystery with this government systems. "And so, if you were appointed with absolute power, then there was no one who could fight you and tell you that whatever you were doing was wrong?" She nods in confirmation and I immediately felt bad for running from the night meetings, I should've just stayed there with them and defied Verity with them. "But that's wrong." I tell her smartly, standing up in defiance.

She looks surprised at me, "And why is that?"

"Because you can corrupt this whole system and make it turn around for the worst. You could kill the rebels with a flick of your hand and you wouldn't have to get your hands dirty because someone else is working under you and if they defy against you, then you'll just kill them too. The whole country would be sitting underneath you in fear and that's wrong." I tell her once more, "Where's my mom?" I ask her.

She shrugs at me in innocence. I am flooded with anger, "Verity!" I launch at her, grabbing her throat with my hands, "Where is my MOTHER!?" I snarl into her face like a wolf.

She smiles evilly, "Her death is scheduled, just as I planned, and you, Calla, will not interrupt with it. You won't save her."

I gave a scream of frustration and hit her head against the desk until she is knocked unconscious. "We'll see about that, President." I say with vile and storm out of her office. At that moment, I decided to find the night meeting people and join on their side. I race down the stairs just as the guards came from behind a closed door. I turn to the front door and make my way down the steps, glad that I counted them because I leaped down by three. I barely made it down until gunfire echoed.

I scream and fall down the last five steps, I expect to be shot, but as I turn to look at the guards, I find them being shot at and tumble down the steps. I search for my attackers and I face Algal walking towards me with an intimidating gun in his hand.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey, thank you all who reviewed, followed, and favorited! You make my day you fantastic people! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year! I know how the holidays can get people to start stressing out, but for me, I didn't start stressing out until today. XD**

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**-C. C. Capitols**


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